Series 6 (Re) Imagined
by rhinestonecowboy
Summary: Moving, money, marriage, and managing prickly parents. Nothing our Caroline and Eleanor can't handle with a little love and a little persistence. Signed reviews posted.
1. Chapter 1

"Moving in together? Really?" Caroline smiled at Jane. She'd beaten Caroline to the punch, so to speak. Conway Drive was still frustratingly all her own.

"Well you don't have to act totally shocked about it." Jane laughed at her, leaned into Zoe sitting next to her.

This celebratory dinner at Phoenician had been called by the kids, as she referred to the young couple now, only hours ago. Caroline had groused about proper notice and scheduling until Eleanor had shamed her into changing her mood.

Eva appeared with four plates stacked up her arm and began serving. Lamb shank for Eleanor, moussaka for Zoe and Caroline, and sirloin kababs for Jane. She put her hands on her hips and took them all in. "I hear we're celebrating our Jane and Zoe."

"Indeed we are. They're moving in together. I suppose we'll see what happens." Eleanor replied, eyes all over Caroline before they moved to the tall Lebanese woman. She proceeded to wink at Eva, who laughed heartily and pointed at her.

"No time to waste when you're young and in love. Speaking of, when are you making an honest woman out of this one here? Because if you don't, I will."

Eva moved closer to Caroline and laid a suggestive hand on her shoulder. Caroline blushed. Though she and Eleanor were back on solid ground after London, and Emma, they were still getting their footing. It seemed to be rather a thing, when they came to Phoenician, to try and put her out of sorts. If the food weren't so good she'd stop coming.

Eleanor laid a hand on Caroline's other shoulder. She slid her hand down her bicep, lowered her voice, smiled coolly and raised an eyebrow. "Oh but I'd _love_ to see you try, Eva."

The dark woman chuckled and clapped her hands. "I should have known better! You win."

The dueling women laughed together, and Zoe and Jane exchanged a look and a remark. Caroline, glad to have her shoulders to herself again, sat quietly, fuming in good humor.

Eva stepped to the side and wrapped her arms around Jane over the back of her chair, kissed the top of her head. "Be good. And pick up your socks."

Zoe poked Jane in the shoulder. "Yeah. Pick up your socks."

Jane wiggled out from under Eva with a pout. "Oh enough both of you."

Caroline beamed at them both and crossed her arms. "Not to stir the pot, but what happened to 'I don't do long term,' Jane?" She gently kicked her good friend under the table, and turned her smile up a notch.

Jane kicked her back. "Yes. Thanks for bringing that up."

Eleanor nudged Caroline with her own shoulder and raised her wine glass. "Can we have a proper cheers then, if you two are done?"

Jane and Caroline dropped the act and picked up their wine glasses in salute.

Eleanor continued. "Jane, you know Zoe is family to me. And I'm delighted for you two. May you never fight over stacking the dishwasher."

Glasses clinked, and a hardy chorus was raised.

Eleanor and Zoe bent their heads together over the table, excited by some apparently blooming conspiracy.

Jane looked over to Caroline with a sly smile. "You have an air about you, again. The air of a woman ravished by love."

"Well you should recognize it."

"Sure. Look at this one – how could I resist?" Jane cocked her head to the side and took another sip of wine. She glanced over to the adorable long-haired young brunette on her right. Thick rimmed glasses with an air of unassuming intellectualism, big features that overstated her confidently demure nature. "But I'm glad to see this version of Caroline and Eleanor again. It was getting dodgy there."

"It was, I'll admit that. And I'll admit I owe you another debt of gratitude. You've put me to rights more than once with Eleanor."

"Listen. I like you. You know I do," confessed Jane. "And I didn't like that you got a raw deal with Kate - and you deserve to be happy. Didn't know if there was something for us when I asked you out, I thought I'd give it a go. But the minute I met Eleanor in that tea shop - saw the way you looked at each other like dinner was being served. I knew I wasn't even really standing on the pitch anymore. Nothing to do with me. Everything to do with the two of you. And look at us now. Fast friends who are at the mercy of two of the best women in Harrogate. We've landed on our feet." Jane offered her wine glass and Caroline met it.

"I like you too." Caroline's eyes twinkled and she sat back and crossed her arms. "So you're moving in then. How'd all that come about?"

"After what happened at your hen party, me and the bartender, Zoe and I had it out. She gave me the old 'fish or cut bait.' It was commit or walk away. Fair enough of you, giving me a hard time about the long-term thing. And I don't, as a rule. And we're still taking things one day at a time. But seriously Caroline. She's irresistible. All the cute and the smarts and the giggles? Id've been a fool to let that go. Keeps me honest."

"It's as good a reason as I've heard. I'd like to give it a try myself, if we could make it work, somehow, Eleanor and I." Caroline sighed and thought about where she wanted to go very badly, a place where she woke with Eleanor every single morning, and how hard it was to get there. "So when are you following through on this moving-in scheme?"

"We'll start to look this month. Hopefully October." Jane looked up and spoke through her food, a spark of a question animating her eyebrows. "Mmmm. That's right. My flat. We've got to get Lawrence in." She napkinned her mouth and continued. "If he can take over my lease it solves loads of problems."

Caroline set her fork down on her plate. "That is the best idea you've ever had."

"Better than aerating my wine in the blender?"

Caroline face-palmed. Eleanor laughed.

Caroline collected herself and shook her head. "Yes. Much better."

Jane looked around innocently and took another sip of the table wine. "So he's been completely non-committal about it. I need you to go all mummy dearest on him and get him to take the plunge."

"Lawrence will be in that flat by October," chipped in Eleanor. "Consider it done."

Caroline gave her a lingering, appraising glance.

She looked back innocently. "Yes? How can I help you?"

Zoe jumped in to the fray. "Clearing the decks, Dr. Strathclyde?"

"If you're trying to make me blush, you know it's a lost cause. I'm unflappable." Eleanor took a bite and slid her fork between her lips, raising a playful eyebrow at Jane, who chuckled.

Zoe fussed with the food on her plate for a split second before looking up. "Is that so?"

Eleanor put her square shoulders further back. "It is."

Zoe put a finger to the side of her chin and made a confused face. "Hmmm. Because I was just thinking about that time last year, when you two had just started dating. You were talking to Caroline on the phone while you were making dinner. And if I remember correctly, you mixed up the olive oil for the white wine in the salad dressing. But only after you'd forgotten to let the lasagna noodles cool before you tried to layer them and practically burned off your fingertips." She smiled sweetly. "And you knocked over your wine glass rushing to pick up your mobile in the first place."

Eleanor cleared her throat, crossed her legs and her arms and her lips became a thin line. She fidgeted with her knife and looked down at the remains of her lamb. "In fact I do remember that evening. And I thought we'd had a solemn vow of confidentiality?"

Caroline's eyes danced between Zoe and Jane. She let Eleanor twist, then laid her hand over hers on the table. "You're just mostly unflappable, darling." She leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

A hint of a blush finally began in Eleanor's cheeks, and she smiled. "Well I suppose that will do, then."

* * *

Eleanor sighed and flung herself across Caroline's big, soft, bed. She looked over at the monitor to check Flora one more time. She was finally down for the count. Her mother was downstairs fussing with something. _'She has 5 minutes, and then she'd better look out.'_

She sat up and slid off her modest Ferragamos. _'I don't understand why Caroline refuses to wear these. Not that I don't love her in those sky high heels… but so much better for her back.'_ She got up and deliberately placed them on Caroline's side of her closet. Then, she glanced over at the space reserved for her things. Slowly ran her fingers over her three suit jackets and the few button downs hanging there. Then, she glanced back again at a long cotton dress left from summer. She thought about the thin material and how it fit on Caroline's body. A scarf draped over it and how it all came together in such a perfect way she was always so tempted to tear it right off.

She looked over as Caroline came in, leaned on the wall next to her, and smiled softly. "Browsing?"

"Variety is the spice of life."

"Is it now?"

"I suppose yes when it comes to fashion. But not women. I'll stick with blondes for a while. But I always like to see if I can get a rise out of you."

"Yes. I gathered that." Caroline took off her own heels and set them next to the hint Eleanor had left for her. "Subtle."

"I don't pretend that's ever been a trait you've admired in me."

"Oh - you can be subtle." Caroline hung her light blue cardigan and began unbuttoning her tan linen blouse. Eleanor blatantly studied her fingers as they worked. "Perhaps not very often." Caroline took her finger and tilted Eleanor's chin up to meet her eyes. "And not right now. But you can be."

"Mmmmmmm."

"Not your most subtle work, perhaps. But I didn't miss your comment about Lawrence tonight." Caroline hung her shirt next to her cardigan.

Eleanor rested a hand over Caroline's as she started to unbutton her jeans. "I want to talk about something. And if you take off those jeans, we'll never get to it. In fact, I think you're going to have to at least put on a shirt if we're going to make it any further at all with this conversation."

"Are we having a conversation?"

"Yes." Eleanor pulled her dark brown cashmere sweater over her head and hung it neatly next to her few other things. "I want to talk about moving in with you. It's been over a month now, since I've been back full-time in Harrogate. I feel things are more settled between us. I know how I want to move forward with my family. And I want to move forward with you, too. I want more of you. I demand it."

Caroline frowned. Her gaze lingered on Eleanor's, then traveled south.

"Eyes up here, please."

"Fine. Pajamas for both of us, then."

They broke apart and finished their evening rituals. Eleanor considered Caroline unadorned as she slid under the sheets next to her. Minus the make-up, and the suit, and the shoes. She was softer but no less compelling.

She leaned against the headboard, crossed her legs at the ankles. Caroline sat next to her; ran a hand through Eleanor's long hair and tugged at it gently. She turned and Caroline gathered it in both hands, ran her fingers through a couple times and separated it. She braided it loosely, turned and grabbed a tie from the side table.

Caroline pulled her knees to her chest.

Eleanor arched her brow. "So. Your place or mine?"

Caroline tilted her head down and smiled at Eleanor thinly, equal parts indulgence and exasperation. "I don't know what to say. I want to stay in this house. I've worked for it, I've earned it, and I love it. It's Flora's home, it's Mum and Alan's home…." She shook her head, hair falling into her face as she looked down, then back up at Eleanor. "I love you. I want to move in together and get this all going properly again." She gestured between the two of them. "And I know I'm being selfish, though I don't want to."

"But you're going to be selfish anyway." Eleanor grinned over at her, bemused. "All part of your glorious charm, darling. I wish I could be angry."

"Me too. But I'm not angry. Really, I'm not. But I can feel your reluctance to move in here. If you wanted to, we wouldn't be discussing. We'd be planning. Clearly this doesn't feel right to you."

Caroline fell silent. Eleanor watched her wheels turn, her bottom lip creeping further out as she worked the problem over. She had in fact chosen to approach the subject now for the exact reason that neither of them had the energy to work up a good head of steam about anything. She knew this wasn't going to be a straightforward process unless she simply acquiesced. She knew what the house meant to Caroline. It was her biggest asset, the most tangible physical symbol of where she'd come in the world.

But she wasn't sold on moving into Caroline's space, with Caroline's memories. Of John. Of Kate. Of the past. It all lived here, and Eleanor didn't know if there was room for her as well. Or room for 'Caroline and Eleanor,' apart from the rest of it all.

At least she's started her thinking about new possibilities. Eleanor still had another six months at Anadyne as they finished out the acquisition. After that, she wasn't sure. She'd been encouraged in talking with Catherine, but it was all amorphous. She knew she didn't want to be alone in the house after Lily left, at least without knowing what was next.

The best way to convince her stubborn girlfriend of anything, of course, would be to find an alternative that was inescapably logical. And for that Eleanor needed time - and a crack in the resolve. She was intent on securing both.

"We don't have to decide today. Lily still has through spring with A levels at Sulgrave Heath. With all the change in the house I don't want to force another one on her. But if we're serious –" Caroline shot her a stern, curious look "- which I am – and we are - then we need to keep this discussion going. Or at least decide when we're going to revisit it. I'm going to keep talking about our future. Continuously. Endlessly. Because I like saying it. Our future. I like saying it almost as much as I like saying your name."

Caroline didn't react - then, she smiled, shoved her over by her shoulders, and Eleanor laughed and fell back on the bed.

"You're impossible."

"No more than you are." Eleanor righted herself. She took Caroline's arm and draped it over her as she laid down over her chest.

"I suppose that's true." Caroline kissed the top of her head. "Keep talking about our future. I don't mind it."

She smiled and ran a hand up her arm. "I don't either. We're going to move in. We are. We just need to keep working at it."

"Well I'm tired now, and you've told me that's no way to go on. So I agree. And we will. And that's a comforting thing to have said." Caroline rested her head on Eleanor's, her tone softer. "Are you still going up to Cayton next weekend, to see your parents?"

"I am." She was torn about _how_ to go. Whether to bring Lily. Whether to bring Caroline, and Flora as well. It started to feel overwhelming when she considered the entire lot of them up there. With Margaret.

"I'll stay with Lily, while you're gone, if that's what you want. Or I'll take us all up together. Completely your call."

Eleanor pulled her closer. "Thank you."

"I said I'd do whatever I could to help you. And I meant it."

"I know you did. I appreciate it. I love you." She smiled up brightly.

Caroline smiled back. "Love you back. I could say that to you every night. And every morning. But right now I think I'd rather we say other things. I know you enjoy saying my name, Eleanor. But I also very much enjoy _hearing_ you say it."

"Oh that can be arranged - straightaway - _Caroline_."


	2. Chapter 2

"Thomas?"

"Yep. And Percy and Emily. Best of friends. Very useful crew." Caroline handed Flora another length of wooden train track, and she carefully laid it in the long string they'd crafted. Lily was working the other side of the twisting loop as George supervised from the arm chair with occasional glances over the paper.

"Building Sodor tracks?"

"Yep. And doing a very fine job of it, Flora." Caroline leaned down with her face right in front of Flora's as she spoke and was rewarded with a giggle and a grin.

The entire mammoth set of tracks and trains had come up with them to Cayton. Flora had been the lucky beneficiary of several gifts, hand me downs, and swaps when it came to Thomas. Caroline had proven to be a bit of an exacting Mum. Friends had learned that not all gifts were acceptable. Princesses and dolls were out. So they tended to stick with what they knew was already Caroline-approved when it came to Flora's toy options.

There had been layouts of all sorts in both Caroline and Eleanor's living rooms at any given point. The sitting room at the massive Strathclyde home in Cayton was by far the largest canvas she'd had to work with when it came to building "Sodor tracks," and Caroline suspected they might actually use every last piece in the set.

Flora looked over to Lily's work and frowned. "Not quite."

Lily looked up. She'd dyed her hair jet black and it stood out dramatically against her creamy skin and green eyes. In some ways she looked very little like Eleanor, but to Caroline there was no mistaking their similarity. "Not quite? What would be right, then?" Even Lily's voice reminded her of Eleanor.

Flora roughly ran a small hand through the remaining pieces. She picked a curved section and handed it to Lily. "This one, please."

"Flora you're going to make a fantastic civil engineer." Lily looked over to Caroline and winked.

"Flora is fantastic."

Caroline's daughter did not look up from her work as she made the proclamation. Her mother smiled and rolled her eyes as George and Lily both let out huge, booming laughs. Lily rolled over on to the tracks dramatically, and elicited a giggle from Flora.

Margaret strolled in, gaze appraising as always, taking in each of the players individually before speaking. "Never underestimate the vital role strong self-esteem plays in the development of young girls." She gave Caroline an approving nod. She leaned over to kiss George on the cheek and sat in the arm chair next to his. She picked up her book and her glasses from an end table, then set them on her lap and looked down. "Flora what are you building?"

"Sodor train tracks. For Thomas."

"Wonderful. And can you please remind me what sound Thomas and other trains make?"

Flora studied her, working out the meaning of the question, then looked to Caroline, who nodded. She paused a moment longer and looked back at Margaret, smiling. "Chugga choo."

"Yes. Well done." Margaret smiled warmly, offering the first look of approval Caroline had ever seen from her. It transformed her. Suddenly, briefly, Caroline saw Eleanor in Margaret's face. The inclination to arrogance tempered by a generous wisdom, and genuine delight in the accomplishments of others. It was all there in a flash, and in that moment Caroline wanted Eleanor to be with them. She was upstairs, changing for a walk with Margaret before dinner.

Lily clicked a long run of track into place, linking it with Flora's. Flora looked up. "Yep." She turned to the box with trains, and began handing them out one by one. She was always Thomas. Caroline was James, and Eleanor had long ago claimed Emily. Flora sorted through the rest thoughtfully, before handing Percy to Lily and Gordon to George. She gave Mike to Margaret. Margaret turned it over curiously in her hand and eyed the rest of them on the floor.

George walked over to the far side of the track and sat down with his train, eyeing Flora in good natured challenge, who grinned back. They each took up positions at different stretches and loops. George looked up at Margaret expectantly. "Would you like to join me over here, darling?"

She smiled through thin lips and narrowed her eyes. "Of course." She stepped over the track, taking up a position in the middle opposite George.

Flora gave out a mighty "chooo" and the game was on.

Caroline noticed that Eleanor stood quietly at the archway to the great room, smiling as a cacophony of train sounds rose in a din. She motioned her in.

"Mum and I are off," Eleanor whispered at her ear before planting a little kiss below it. "wish me luck."

"Luck. And strength. I'm proud of you." Caroline took Eleanor's hand, squeezed it tightly. "Love you."

"Love you back."

* * *

"What do you mean, 'you knew?'" Eleanor looked away from Margaret and toward the massive swells coming in from the East, roaring and plowing into the shore hundreds of feet below.

"I knew – I know, everything, Eleanor. About London and what happened all those years ago. Emma told me right before she went to London to begin practicing, and you stayed on at Oxford. She was terribly worried about leaving you alone." Margaret didn't look at Eleanor, but straight ahead at the green rolling hills of Cayton Bay as they walked the slim cliffside path back toward the estate.

It was sunny and perfectly blue and clear in Cayton, but it was still cold and windy on the headlands. Eleanor pulled her pea coat more tightly around her. Her hair whipped the air and her face. She hugged herself across her chest to keep out the cold, but more to contain her confusion. To keep the mass of swirling thoughts near her and try and begin to arrange them emotionally and chronologically in a way that made any sense.

"You knew. For twenty some years, you've known - about – what happened." Eleanor was still studying the whitecaps as they walked. She took a deep breath of the bracing, crisp air and set herself to continue. To say the words as often as she could until it wasn't so hard. "You knew that I'd attempted suicide when I was twenty-one – and you've never, never said anything – anything at all to me, this entire time?" The cold and the tears stung her nose as she finally stopped and turned to her mother, devastated and angry.

Margaret continued walking. Eleanor stared at her for a moment and then caught up, hooking a hand through her elbow. She turned her mother to face her.

"Why."

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you say something? Anything – _anything_ at all. Why didn't you say – _anything_?"

"If you wanted me to know, dear, if you wanted me to say something to you, I thought you might have told me yourself. You might have confided in me, or asked for help. But you didn't. Clearly that wasn't your wish."

Eleanor, disbelief and anguish all over her face, stared at her. Margaret looked back impassively, but her dark eyes were hard. An invisible wall between them and Eleanor's pleading brown eyes. There were tears standing at the edges, but Eleanor couldn't tell if they were simply from the wind, the cold, or the salt in the air.

"I was ashamed. Deeply. How could I have said something? You – you would have hated me for it. You would have told me I was just being selfish. Acting out because June was – had been - getting all the attention, just like you did the summer before I left for Oxford. When I got in trouble for drinking. When you – and daddy – had to collect me from town."

Margaret raised her voice above the din of the waves. "You mean collect you from the _station_. After you'd been picked up – thankfully by a family friend – by the police, for public intoxication?"

Eleanor closed her eyes and let go of Margaret's elbow. Her own tears had nothing to do with the cold. She hung her head and was quiet. The wind gave a mighty gust and temporarily subsided, leaving a quiet stillness behind. Even the long swaying grasses at the edges of the path quit their whispering.

Margaret considered her, head just angled, mouth firm but not hard, expression a careful study in an indulgent patience.

Eleanor turned her eyes to the hardpack path beneath their feet, but spoke. "After that incident, I don't think you ever thought very much of me, mother. The way you looked at me, for weeks after. For years. The disappointment. As though I'd intentionally tried to make what had happened with June worse for you." She looked up finally, meeting her mother's passive gaze with one of resignation. "Or worse. That I was simply too weak to do the right thing and keep my chin up. Too weak to soldier on and just make the best of it, as you did."

"I thought I had set a better example for you." Now Margaret turned to face the sea, the water and the tide headed out.

Eleanor looked down again and covered her eyes with the sleeve of her coat. She sniffed and gave a giant, rattling exhale. "Right."

Margaret, arms crossed, was waiting quietly for Eleanor to collect herself. Even that patience served to turn the screw. She felt her mother was somehow always somehow waiting for her. Eleanor who needed time to get herself together, time to mature, time to catch up to her mother's sophisticated indifference to life's little dramas.

Eleanor looked up and nodded, hair lifting and falling in the now gentle breeze between gusts. She squinted up into the sun. "Why couldn't we help June, Mum?"

"What do you mean, 'help June?' What does she have to do with anything?" Margaret frowned, black eyes sharply focused.

"When she asked. At the end of her life. When she wanted – to stop. Why couldn't we help her? Why did we have to be cruel."

"I don't even know what you mean. It's life that was – is – cruel."

"She asked us, Mum. She asked us to make it stop - as she was dying. And none of us – none of us would. You and Daddy, you brushed her off. And then she asked me. She begged me. And I knew you didn't want it – I knew that you wanted to keep her with us. And I didn't know what to do. If I should do what you and Daddy wanted, or what June wanted. I didn't know." Eleanor's tone rose concert with the howl of the wind as it picked up. She began to shout above the gusts. "And I didn't know how to decide. And so I did nothing. And _she_ still suffered. And _you_ still suffered. _There was no way to make it right for anyone."_

Margaret was silent. If it had been in her, her jaw would have dropped. But it wasn't. She was better trained than that. Instead she remained a blank space, stoic condescension for Eleanor's own anger and desperation. Then, she spoke. Softly. Eleanor barely heard her, more read the words as they came from her mother's lips. "I didn't know she had said anything to you."

"You said you knew everything. About the suicide attempt."

"I didn't know that - that June had anything to do with it - that something like that had transpired between you two. I don't know if Emma knew about it, but if she did, she didn't tell me that. Why didn't you say something about it, when June died?"

"Because you and Daddy were already a million miles away, Mum. Together, in your grief. You had each other. And you tried to be there for us, but that's how it was. Johnathan and I had each other, I suppose. But more than that, June had _me_. We were sisters/ We were closer than _any_ of you. We always had been. So of course, when you said no, she did what she always did. She looked to _me_. And I let her down. You made me do that, Mum. You made me let June down. And then you turned away. I needed you, and I was _completely fucked up_ , and you turned away. I suppose it was hard enough having June die. But having another daughter who was a screw up, who couldn't take care of herself, well that just made it all worse, didn't it? Who could have ever loved _that_?"

Margaret uncrossed her arms and jammed her hands in her coat pockets. She found a tissue and sniffled into it, swiped in frustration at her eyes as emotion betrayed her. She looked down and gave out a single cry. This time her tears were not a result of the wind or the chill or the sharp sea air.


	3. Chapter 3

Eleanor listened to her mother cry, didn't know how to respond, or if she even wanted to. She waited, and decided. "I suppose, then, that Emma didn't tell you everything. Did she."

"No."

"Just enough to reinforce your judgements of me," Eleanor paused. "Did you even ask her, mother, why? Why I was in the hospital in the first place?"

"She said she didn't know, really. That you never told her."

Eleanor let out a harsh, sharp laugh. "Of course."

Margaret seemed to regain her footing. "I trusted Emma to take care of you. If you weren't going to let me, you needed someone, Eleanor. And not just anyone. Someone strong. Strong enough to love you unconditionally. Someone who understood the nature of commitment, and all it entails."

"Strong enough to account for my weaknesses? My irrationality? All my ridiculous emotions?"

"No. Someone who was strong enough to deal with the barrage of troubles life throws at us, dear. So that you didn't have to. You'd had enough of that already."

Eleanor turned back. The wind played at her hair again. She gathered it up angrily and slipped a tie from her wrist. She pulled it back and into a loop low at her neck. She narrowed her eyes and leaned toward her mother. "And you think Emma is that person? Strong – with an understanding of commitment?"

"She's devoted to you, Ellie."

Another sharp laugh from Eleanor. "Don't Ellie me. Have you met Emma? She wouldn't know commitment if it bit her in the ass."

"There's no need for rough language. And she was committed to you. She remains so."

"And did she tell you about the women she had while we were married?" Eleanor shook her head vehemently. "Before we were married? I knew of at least three. I'm not sure how that lines up with your definition of commitment. But it certainly doesn't with mine."

Margaret considered her and sighed. "You know this, Eleanor. Fidelity and commitment are not the same thing."

"Oh that's bulls – that's rubbish Mother."

Margaret's eyes grew darker, and sharp again. Another break in the wind came, and she spoke quietly. "It's not rubbish, Eleanor. And I should know. How do you think I kept my own family intact? It certainly wasn't by throwing in the towel every time your father was indiscrete."

Eleanor tilted her head back, almost as though she'd been struck.

"Oh yes dear. Much of our early marriage. Until June died, in fact. There was no ultimatum, no dramatic line in the sand about it after that. I think the desire just went out of him. I hated to see him change like that, become soft. But of course it meant that at least I didn't have to look the other way anymore."

Eleanor's response was just a throaty whisper carried on the breeze. "Does Daddy know – "

"That I know? Of course he does. But we're not dramatic. We don't have to constantly bring it up. Rehash it and reuse it over and over to liven up our lives. And he's contrite about it, certainly." Margaret's composure reinstated itself and her tone picked up confidence. "We're _married_. We've been married for almost fifty years. There's nothing at all we don't know about the other. That's what commitment is, Eleanor. Knowing the other person, and loving them despite that knowledge."

The wind had finally calmed and now the gulls were out, shrieking to each other as they soared along the face of the sandy cliffs.

The two women faced each other, mirrored each other. Heads held at the same angle, sun hitting their hair and bouncing off identically. Shoulders and hips at the same cast. Both with hands in their coat pockets. Chasms between them emotionally, but physically inseparable in so many ways. But for her blonde, short hair, Margaret simply an older version of Eleanor.

The silence between them and the noise of the gulls went on. The waves ceased their crashing, but the roar of the tide remained.

Eleanor looked away, then back. Her tone was even again. "Does Daddy know about me?"

"London? The hospital? No. That didn't seem necessary. He dotes on you, Ellie. He adores you."

The fire in Eleanor's eyes rekindled. "And he wouldn't anymore, if he knew? Is that what you're saying?"

Margaret sighed. "No, dear. What I'm saying is that it would have crushed him."

Fresh tears began for Eleanor as she looked down and nodded. "I want to tell him."

"Because it will make you feel better, or because it will make him feel better?"

She looked up again, angry at Margaret's stubborn unwillingness to live openly. "Because it's the right thing to do. Keeping secrets – it's an awful business."

"Perhaps. But secrets, properly managed, run the world, Eleanor." A single gentle nod from Margaret to underscore her point.

"I'm sorry, but that's not how my world is, Mother. It's not how I want it to be."

A smirk began to creep on to Margaret's lips, and a flash of a twinkle appeared in her eyes. "Your world is different than mine, isn't it?" Her smile faded back into passive countenance. "I suppose that's how it is, with daughters. Though we don't want to believe it."

Eleanor stepped forward abruptly and hugged her mother. Roughly and passionately. Margaret didn't react at first, but eventually she put her arms around Eleanor. They stood together stiffly, but still close, Eleanor's strong arms forcing Margaret to stay with her.

Finally, Eleanor stepped back. She sniffed and looked down. She turned her foot into the gravel before gazing back up. "You are my mother. And I love you."

"I suppose that's enough, isn't it? Love. And I love you, Eleanor. You're my daughter. I can't help it."

Eleanor laughed and smiled at her. "Yes Mum. I know that."

* * *

Caroline wandered toward the sound of a piano. The notes echoed and bounced off the coffered ceilings. The house was large enough that she wasn't exactly sure where she was or where she was headed. But soon enough she came upon an open door and peered in. A library. Books in thick oak cases floor to ceiling, and a great black grand piano in the center of it. Eleanor was fiddling around with pieces of different tunes. She kept coming back to a piece by – Caroline racked her brain – Barber. She was thrown, it wasn't a piece she'd heard on piano before, only ever performed by strings.

She hadn't seen Eleanor since she'd returned from the walk with Margaret. It was hard to keep track of people in this place. Rooms and wings for hiding and losing people. She stood in the door for a moment and smiled quietly to herself. Eleanor wasn't turned completely away from her, but she was far enough in the room that she hadn't noticed her yet.

Caroline pulled her cardigan across her chest as she crossed her arms and strolled slowly forward, still smiling. "Know anything I'd like?"

Eleanor looked up. The edges of her eyes were red. They shone brightly, but the shine quickly became a twinkle. "As a matter of fact - I think yes."

"Sounds promising."

Eleanor tilted her head down over the rim of her reading glasses. Skipping them for the mobile on occasion was one thing. But she'd confessed, once Caroline had caught her wearing them, that the bars merged and the notes turned to black globs if she attempted to play the piano without them.

"This song has been running through my head, here and there throughout the summer. I even gave it quite a few runs on Lily's keyboard when I had the chance. I think I've got it well enough in hand." Eleanor moved over just a bit on the bench and tilted her head to Caroline. "It's one of your favorites. That must have been partly why it came to mind."

Caroline's heart picked up by a beat or two as she sat on the bench next to Eleanor. "Hmmm. One of my favorites…" She narrowed her smiling eyes at Eleanor. "So. Stevie or Christine?"

"Stevie." Eleanor smirked. "Sorry."

"If you're singing, I don't care." She leaned against Eleanor's shoulder.

"Good then." Eleanor smiled, endlessly pleased with herself and with Caroline's affirmation. Caroline was glad piano, song, had come back into her life, their lives. Eleanor liked music, she liked singing. It was easy enough to see how eagerly she'd missed it.

She looked across the little space between them on the bench one more time, small bashful smile, and began to play.

It took Caroline only two or three notes to pick up the song. She'd listened to it more times than she could begin to count. Sung along with it in the car, at home, in the shower, the laundromat when she'd been young and she and John just barely making it work. Sung it to the boys and to Flora, in the grocer and the mechanic. She listened along silently and thoughtfully sometimes. But she couldn't really remember ever turning it off, or skipping it on the album. Of course it had come to mind, when Eleanor thought about them – and this summer.

" _Wait a minute baby – stay with me awhile -"_

No matter how often Caroline had heard the song before, this time would now be her favorite. Even more than when she'd heard it for the very first time in 1979, sitting on the floor of her bedroom buried in green shag carpet, circled around the record player with three of her very best friends in the world. All of them giddy and impossibly in love with at least two of the members of Fleetwood Mac. Caroline had really only had eyes for Christine, but she told everyone she was completely and totally mad for John.

" _Drowning, in the sea of love –"_

She tried not to stare at Eleanor, tried not to make her feel self-conscious, because she never wanted her to stop. She watched her surreptitiously from the side, only turning to her on occasion to smile.

Eleanor was clearly comfortable with the piece, but hadn't mastered it. She looked over to Caroline just once in a while, smiling, but mostly studied the sheet music carefully. She had a confident, bold style, but was still graceful and kind with the keys. Her phrasing rolled more like a pounding wave than a gentle tide, but it fit for Eleanor. And her voice… it was as deep and smooth and lovely as ever. Vintage and charming. She didn't sound a thing like Stevie, but it didn't bother Caroline.

 _"Said Sara, you're the poet in my heart – "_

' _She couldn't fit 'Caroline' in? It's just another couple syllables….'_ Caroline snickered to herself, giddy in the moment. Eleanor looked over, didn't quite miss a beat but grinned. She was torn between wanting Eleanor to go on and on and wanting her to stop, because she felt that if she didn't kiss her immediately she'd just… explode.

Caroline watched the afternoon light as it streamed in from the giant mullioned windows and across Eleanor, lit her auburn hair and brought out the mahogany tones, shining and falling in waves over her shoulders as she moved and played. _'I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her. And it's going to be profound. It's going to be like nothing that's ever happened to me before, even if it has.'_

The sun poured past Eleanor and flooded on to the worn and crinkled cream paper of the sheet music and the dark black walnut of the piano. Her pace slowed just a little as she started to reach the end, where the music and the words began to mingle.

 _"… would you swallow all your pride?"_

She finished the piece and turned, not bashful but clearly anticipating a response, then preempted it with one of her own. "I agree. It was fantastic."

"I haven't _said_ anything yet." Caroline's face was lit with her brightest smile.

"Well I already knew what you were going to say, so I thought I'd save time." Eleanor reached over and ran a hand down Caroline's blonde hair, then, pulled her hands back and rested them both in her lap.

Caroline didn't speak. How could she? What words could she use to describe her sheer, dumb luck at being the recipient of something so wonderful, so freely given, with only the hope that the giving would make her happy, would make her fall more in love with Eleanor - as though that were possible.

She found words she hoped would be - adequate. "It _was_ fantastic. It was - everything. It melted my cold, cold heart. Just as everything you do does. Even if you can't always get me to admit that." She slid a leg over and straddled the piano bench, leaning on palms laid flat in front of her. Eleanor leaned toward Caroline and they kissed, gently. Caroline felt like taking her time about it, and they did, lazy and luxurious in the pool of sunlight surrounding them.

Eleanor tilted her forehead against Caroline's. "I forget how well music produces my desired effect on you. I'll be more mindful in the future."

Caroline kissed her again. "I remember something about using your powers for good?"

"Always."

"Do you want to talk about your walk with your Mum?"

"Not in the middle of this perfect moment."

Caroline swung around again on the bench and plunked at the piano. "Will you play something else then? Or sing something else?"

Eleanor's smile was so wide that the effect was comical. "I can do both."


	4. Chapter 4

"I thought Jonathan and Bella were going to start spending summers here at Cayton, now that Elizabeth and Roger have moved to York?" Caroline cleared her throat and hopped desperately around for a subject that wouldn't draw ire from Eleanor or Margaret. If anything had changed after their walk, she couldn't tell. Eleanor had been stingy with details - but she seemed lighter, a tightness that had been at the corner of her eyes since their arrival missing.

Dinner had been a drawn-out affair, though sinfully delicious. Apparently, George and Margaret cooked when guests were staying. Caroline immediately recognized the origin of Eleanor's short ribs and whipped root vegetables, and had thanked George profusely for passing on his deft touch.

"Well they're not. Bella is apparently being recalcitrant," Margaret replied to Caroline. So much for neutral subjects.

"You don't say, mum?" Eleanor poured Caroline a generous portion of the Cab and tipped the rest of the bottle into her own glass. She widened her eyes and winked over at Caroline, who discretely covered her mouth with her napkin.

"You're far from clever dear. I know she loathes the idea of sharing a roof with me."

"You don't make it easy, Mother. Even if they would have their own wing.'" Eleanor gestured with her flatware at the ridiculous size of the dining room.

"This is Jonathan's home. And yours as well. You may pretend it's nonsensical, but it is. It's your family and your heritage, and where you came from. It will be yours when we're gone, and your daughters' after you. You'd do well to remember that before you continue to denigrate it." Margaret carefully cut and maneuvered her dinner on her plate as she spoke.

"Yes, Mother." Eleanor nodded and raised her wine glass toward her. "In the spirit of détente."

Caroline waded in again, this time more certain of her tactic. "Margaret, I don't know that I remember what you did before retirement?"

"Possibly because I haven't mentioned it, and it doesn't surprise me that my daughter hasn't either."

Eleanor clanked her silverware loudly. "As a matter of fact, I have mentioned it. But I believe that Caroline was simply making conversation to fill the awkward void after you scolded your middle-aged daughter at the dinner table."

Margaret cleared her throat, her lips twitched and she nodded at her daughter before turning to Caroline. "Thank you for asking. I was a print journalist – foreign wire correspondent. But after we started the family and for the majority of my time I had a syndicated column."

"That's right - " Caroline frowned, amazed and impressed, and wondering how she'd forgotten. It was rather difficult to picture Margaret doing anything but holding court at the manor. "Discussing what?"

"Economics, mostly. And politics as they related. That's why we have the flat in London. I spent a fair amount of time there."

"Grandmother wrote quite a bit about the European Union, as it was beginning to form." Lily smiled eagerly at Caroline. "I've read all her columns."

"How fascinating. You must be quite intrigued by current developments, then?"

George jumped right in. "In fact she is. But we save politics for after dinner - when we'll have a good go, become enraged, and are all quite free to storm off in disgust to different 'wings' of the home - so to speak."

Caroline nodded as she chewed what she was beginning to think was the best roast she'd ever had. "Well I'm looking forward to that." She smiled at George. "And you were – are – an art historian, if I remember correctly?"

"You do remember correctly. I started in London but spent the majority of my time working with private collectors."

"Mostly trying to convince them to divest." Eleanor looked over to her father. "One thing we all agree on is distaste for the enormous amount of art that's privately held."

Caroline couldn't help but take a discrete look around her, and for the first time appreciated that most of the work in the Strathclyde home was original, of course - but completely unknown to her and shockingly contemporary for what she otherwise would have expected.

George noticed her observation. "Yes. It's all newer, all from artists who have yet to show in a proper museum."

"Grandfather thinks of himself as a patron. He gives loads of time lecturing in youth programs and is – " Lily glanced around with a 'whatever' look coming on to her face. " - generous in his community support."

Eleanor gave her a mysteriously disapproving glance over her wine glass. Lily seemed unapologetic.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at George - then at Eleanor as realization dawned on her face. "The endowed and dedicated merit tuition reimbursements at Sulgrave Heath - in music and visual art - for our full scholarship students. The program the school runs through the Clio Foundation that began out of nowhere about five years ago. Eleanor, you mentioned you 'had a friend' at Clio. But that's you, isn't it?"

Margaret glared at Eleanor and George focused on his dinner. Eleanor nodded to Caroline once, quickly. "I told you, Caroline. Access is important to me. It's important to us." The table stilled.

Lily looked to each of the elder Strathclydes and rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Caroline. Don't let the rest of them intimidate you. It's just that we never talk about money. So then it's awful and uncomfortable when we do."

Eleanor shot a stern look at her daughter. Lily smiled with a bored expression and skewered a bite of meat. "It's true, Mum. You can't be mad at me for saying something true." She looked at Caroline again. "We're supposed to feel guilty about it. But I don't. Because June and Elizabeth and I are going to give it all away."

George chuckled.

Margaret pretended to be interested in taking a second helping of vegetables, though it was impossible to miss her smirk. "Eleanor, darling, have you decided if you'll grace us with your presence for your birthday next month? I was terribly lonely without you in the kitchen with me last year."

Eleanor finished her plate and took her time setting down her silverware. "It's nearly six weeks away. I hadn't really thought about it. But perhaps."

"Well it's tradition."

ELeanor looked over to Caroline. "I suppose I'm game if you are, if you and yours will come along. If nothing else you won't regret the birthday cake."

"Sounds lovely." Caroline nodded. Eleanor – asking for her – asking for help. How could she say no?

"Wonderful. Caroline, please do invite your mother and her husband. I very much enjoyed meeting them."

"Very well. I'll certainly ask."

"They can stay, if they'd like." Margaret rose and began collecting dishes. She laid a hand on Eleanor's shoulder. "It's all set then." She smiled contentedly down, her face again genuine and happy, reminding Caroline of Eleanor once more.

* * *

"So I've gathered you haven't wanted to talk about it - but just a word on how it went with your Mum this afternoon?" Caroline put a hand at Eleanor's waist, and waited. They were safely ensconced in their grand bedroom, thick wooden door closed, opulent curtains pulled shut. Eleanor had conceded to staying in the house this trip, an olive branch and part of her resolve to tackle things with Margaret head-on.

"It wasn't - good. But it - worked, I suppose?" Eleanor plunked down on the ottoman anchoring the sitting area near the closet, took out her golden tear-drop earrings, and stared at them resting in her hands clasped on her lap. "Turns out she knew what had happened. Emma had told her."

"No - and she didn't - "

"She never said anything to me. I could put that on her, not saying anything when I was younger. Now, not as much. But it's done. It's out. I think we're better for it. Mother is still mother, but at least there's one less shadow between us." Eleanor rose, removed her necklace, bracelet, and placed all of it unceremonial on the bureau. She pulled her pajamas from a drawer, then proceeded to divest herself of the rest of her clothing on her way toward the bed, draping it in a heap over the footboard.

Caroline frowned, took it up, and hung it in the enormous, vacuous closet. "You don't seem - is everything alright?"

"It is. It's just that it's not like the movies, you know, with Margaret. There's never any great reconciliation, no dramatic final confessions that lead to hair-braiding and flower picking and mummy-daughter blissfully ever-after. There's just hard, and less hard. But I'm certainly glad for less-hard."

"Well if this is less-hard, so am I. Dinner felt a little like a jousting tournament."

"This coming from the daughter of Celia Dawson, hostess to some of the cruelest drag-outs I've ever witnessed over peas and pot-roast?" Eleanor buttoned herself up neatly in her pajama top, as always leaving the top button undone.

"I suppose at some level I always understood why you didn't just wither and slink away after William's birthday debacle this summer."

"Could have gone my entire life without Celia telling me to look in a mirror when I plucked my eyebrows. I'm still self-conscious about it now, you know."

"Well she told me when I was sixteen that I was a definite exception to the 'no need to shave above the knees' credo." Caroline drew a hand up her leg and smiled at Eleanor, who huffed and smiled back.

"Here's to our Mothers, darling. Celia and Margaret, separated at birth. Divided only by class."

"Or lack of it. Despite current surroundings." Caroline gestured around, her brow pulled close. "She was _serious_ , wasn't she? About you and Jonathan – and this place."

Eleanor sighed dramatically from her position splayed across the bed and stared at the ceiling. "Yes."

"Bloody hell, _Lady_ Eleanor." Caroline spoke quietly and shook her head. She looked at her landed girlfriend incredulously, considering her role and her life here a little more profoundly and tangibly.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of all of us shacking up here – now or in the future." Eleanor moved over on the bed and Caroline laid next to her. They stared at the ceiling together, hands folded across their stomachs.

"Where _do_ you have intention of us shacking up?"

Another dramatic sigh. "In our own house. That's what I want. I think I knew but I couldn't say it. But now I can. I've finally decided I'm only ever going to say exactly what I want from now on – and in this case, it's a place that's ours."

"I suspected." Caroline sighed and frowned. She just wasn't ready to give up Conway Drive.

Suddenly, Eleanor pounced on top of her. "You're not looking at this at all the right way."

"I'm not?"

"No." Eleanor pushed down on the bed with her palms and bounced Caroline against it. "Not at all. You've completely got it the wrong way around, and I won't have it any longer."

"Explain to me the error of my ways."

"Gladly." Eleanor climbed off her with deliberate clumsiness and stood at the foot of the bed. "One." She held up her index finger. "We could live a bit closer to Gillian in Halifax, and not too severely impact your ten-minute daily grind of a commute."

Caroline opened her mouth to retort.

"Two." Eleanor held up a second finger and silenced her. "There are little flights and sets of stairs here and there all over your home. A different layout would be infinitely more practical for the entire menagerie, in the future – Celia and Alan most of all."

Caroline's mouth was shut tight and her lips were drawn. It was going to be hard to rebut any of this.

"Three." She smiled and continued. "It's immensely practical to have Flora in the room next door, for now. But in the future I'd like to have a different option available to us that didn't also put her right off the main hallway in the house. And we can have room for the boys and the girls, should they ever decide to visit." She arched her brow and this time elicited a tiny smile from Caroline.

"Four." Eleanor lost some of her playful air and placed her hands gently on her hips. "What we're doing now isn't terribly financially practical for either of us. In fact, it makes very little fiscal sense. And I'd rather spend our money on exotic vacations and designer shoes." She paused to appreciate her own satire.

Caroline laughed outright, but nodded. "I agree. I don't know how to talk about money, with you – " she looked around again pointedly. "It makes me feel a little out of my depth. But I want to figure it out. And to be smart. So we can do all we can for our children."

Eleanor moved on. "Five." She spread her hand wide and smiled even wider. "This is the best one. The very best part. It will be our house. Ours, together. Not me moving in to your memories nor you moving into mine. It will be ours. Top to bottom and stem to stern. Paint and plaster and curtains. If you want to pick a place and renovate, we can. If you want it new and pristine, we'll do it. But either way we'll make it ours. And when I think about that – "

She stepped forward to the edge of the bed, then pounced on Caroline again and began to crawl up the bed as Caroline moved back toward the pillows, both sets of eyes locked on the other.

"When I think about that, darling. Well, I get rather – excited."

Caroline smiled, still not convinced. But she knew Eleanor saw the change in the set of her eyes and her mouth.

"By my reckoning we still have 112,431 kisses to go before we reach that million you promised me."

Caroline arched and stretched and smiled. "We're making real progress, though."

"I thoroughly regret exchanging 250,000 in return for a week of dinners. You got the best of that bargain."

"I'll give them all back for a week of garters."

Eleanor grinned and kissed Caroline again. "Will you? That's an easy deal. Consider it done."

"How do I know you're good for it?"

"Oh I'm always good for it." Eleanor stopped playing and started getting a little more serious with her hands.

Caroline closed her eyes and made a low, satisfied sound. She pulled Eleanor close to her and slid her hands down her back and over the soft curve of her hips. She kissed her neck up to her ear and whispered with a smile, "Now that my back is better, how about I give you another 'shagging of your life?'"

"Mmmmmmm. Yes, please." Eleanor melted into Caroline and whispered back. "And remind me to sing to you every day from here on out."


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you sad at all to be leaving the house?" Caroline leaned over the counter toward her son, amused and exasperated.

"I suppose." Lawrence grinned. "But nah. Glad to be on my own." He sipped his beer and set it on the ratty, uneven coffee table in front of him. He didn't bother with a coaster, but there were enough rings already it didn't matter. Jane had been kind enough to lend Lawrence most of her furniture and kitchenware when he moved into the flat. Well - Zoe had actually been kind enough, eschewing basically everything Jane had offered to bring to their cohabitation. Something about matching sets and being a grown up.

"You always were the independent one. Just like your Mum, aren't you? Have to go your own bloody way no matter what." Caroline smirked and shook her head, more at herself than her boy.

"Well I am glad to be on my own. Finally." He shrugged but met Caroline's eyes shyly and smiled. "But I will miss you."

"Miss my leftovers, more like it."

"Maybe. If you mean leftover takeaway."

Caroline shot him a scolding look and he raised both hands.

She finished moving silverware between drawers and rearranging the cabinets. Jane had absolutely no sense of flow when it came to the layout of a proper kitchen. She came around the counter into the sitting area.

"Partner Sam said he saw you chatting up that hot number at the grocer, one at the Asda on Bower road. Works the cheese counter?"

Caroline smiled and plunked down next to Lawrence on the sagging sofa. "By 'that hot number' I assume you mean the woman called Chetna?"

Lawrence's eyes widened. "So you got her name?"

"Yes. I like to refer to people by name, not physical attributes. Show some respect." Caroline pointed and smiled as Lawrence laughed at her, and yielded. She was in a bit of a sassy mood herself, tonight. "But she is a rather attractive girl."

"Who is, and where can I find her?" Eleanor came through the hallway from the bedroom wearing a stern expression and placed her hands on her hips.

"Jealous?" Caroline looked up at her playfully.

"Hardly. On the prowl." She winked down at Lawrence, and he tilted his beer bottle at her.

She sat down in the chair opposite, a mismatch meant for the dining table. "Sheets are clean and folded. I assume you can make the bed yourself."

Lawrence and considered Eleanor with a wary but growing affection. His mother's son to the end and slow to defrost. "Thanks."

Caroline looked down at her watch.

"You late for something then? Got somewhere better to be? You've been staring at your wrist all evening." Lawrence scowled.

She responded with a breezy air. "Not at all. Not yet. But we will be late for dinner if we don't start on our way."

"Since when is Eva concerned about time," asked Eleanor.

"Since she's making a particular – special – dinner just for your birthday."

"Which isn't for another week."

"We've a busy schedule. And you know Eva can be titchy. I talked her into doing all your favorites, didn't I?"

"Fine." Eleanor smiled and stood. "I'm eternally grateful."

"Perhaps not now, but you will be." Caroline stood and Lawrence followed them to the door. "Alright then, Lawrence. I suppose you're set. But dinner still, once a week." He opened his mouth to respond. Caroline pointed directly at his chest with a stern expression. "No arguments."

"That's our cue." Eleanor stepped forward and gave Lawrence a great hug. He paused and then returned it.

Caroline stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek before hugging him. He held her tightly, arms bigger and stronger than she could have ever imagined.

"Ta – Mum. Love you."

"Yep. Love you too." She almost started to cry, then firmly told herself not too. If she let emotion get the better of her now, she'd never make it through the rest of the evening. And there was just too much at stake.

* * *

Phoenician was almost dark when they walked up. The sign on the door was flipped to _closed._

"Have we gotten our days mixed up?" Eleanor frowned.

Caroline smiled and opened the door for her. "Nope."

Eleanor stepped through and then stopped. The restaurant was empty, dim but not dark. Their usual table in the back was set with wine and candles. The house lights were barely up. Caroline looked over at her delighted and surprised smile. _'Perfect.'_ She pulled Eleanor's coat off, and then her own. She grabbed her hand and led her back to the table.

Eva came out and greeted them with exuberant hugs. "Caroline said she wanted to do something special for your birthday. How did we do?"

"This is wonderful Eva. Thank you."

"Anything for my Caroline."

Eleanor arched her brow.

"And my Eleanor."

"Of course." Eleanor leaned in again and kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

Eva gestured and they sat. "First course coming up. Kibbeh nayeh, tabouli, and baba ganoush." She turned and bustled into the kitchen.

Caroline poured wine for the two of them and raised her glass. "Happy birthday, darling."

Eleanor was quiet, brown eyes sparkling in the candlelight. "Thank you." She rested her chin on her hand and considered Caroline with open appraisal. Bouncing, shining blonde hair, giant crystal blue eyes and a presence that never ceased to humble. Pearl earrings, solitaire, and bangs messy in her face. She always wanted to brush them back for a better view. "You're right. About where I belong and who I belong to. I am yours."

Caroline demurred, sweet, coy and playful. "Are you?"

"Completely. Compulsively. Hopelessly." Eleanor ran a finger over the rim of her wine glass as she sat back in her chair. "Yours."

"I'll keep that in mind." Caroline sat back in her own chair, and watched Eleanor smiling at her. Eyes as dark as night in the candlelight. Eleanor - always inviting and wrapped in cashmere, no matter what she wore. Mischief and calm, fire and grace all bundled together in harmony.

They didn't talk much over dinner. They didn't eat or drink much, to Eva's enormous dissatisfaction. They chatted easily here and there, but mostly enjoyed their own company. Caroline a Cheshire cat and Eleanor fidgety. Caroline suspected she suspected what was afoot.

Eva came back out to their cleared table, sighed, hands on her hips. "Can I even bring you dessert? Handmade, today – just for this one?" She inclined her head at Eleanor. "Flourless torte. Chocolate and cardamom. My mother's own recipe. I don't make it for many. They don't appreciate it."

"Oh yes please, Eva," said Caroline. "I wouldn't miss it. And – em - the champagne too, please."

Eleanor grinned as Eva walked away. "Wouldn't miss _me_ , eating dessert, if I know you."

"Am I that obvious?"

"Positively transparent."

"Well you've never seen yourself eat cake, have you?"

"I suppose I haven't."

"Then you've no room to judge me." Caroline replaced her napkin in her lap and smiled as the torte and the champagne appeared. Eva popped the bottle and poured, then disappeared.

"Cheers. Happy birthday." Caroline held up her glass and Eleanor clinked, meeting playful eyes as they drank.

Despite her stated enthusiasm, a very nervous Caroline managed just a little of her desert but did well with her champagne.

"I can't help but feel we're having a moment, here." Eleanor slowly pulled the final bite off her fork with her lips and set it on the plate.

"Are we?"

"God but you're contrary tonight."

"Am I?" Caroline smiled, and they both laughed.

"Have I scared you off?" Eleanor looked down, scowling. Their candles had run low over the long evening, flickering and casting lean shadows. "Will you never ask me again?"

"No. You haven't. And yes - I will."

Eleanor looked back up with the suggestion of a grin. "I understand. I can be intimidating."

"I'm fairly intimidating myself. Or so I've been told."

"Is this trouble we're having, with picking a home is it about –" Eleanor paused as she looked down and again doubt crept into her tone. "Me?"

She leaned toward Eleanor and took her hands, both of them. "It is about you. That's well settled. How much I love you. How much you love me. How courageous you are, and how we've already made it through difficulties that others might not have. I don't think there's anything we can't face together, when it comes down to it." Caroline's intensity took the form of a smile. "I don't think you choose love, Eleanor. I think it chooses you. And I want to do it right, this time. When I… ask."

Eleanor gave a small sigh. "Okay then." She turned Caroline's hand over on the table, palm up, and traced the lines on it with her index finger, staring at it as she did so - and suddenly mischievous, looking directly into her eyes. "Do I need to take matters into my own hands?"

Caroline curled her fingers over Eleanor's. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't."

"But would you think less of me, if I wanted to be old fashioned about it, and wait for you?"

"Never." _'Because I know how impatient you are. And you won't have to wait long.'_


	6. Chapter 6

They were quiet on the ride home in the Jeep, holding hands across the center console. Smiling at each other and out the windows at the street lights as they flowed past.

Eleanor laid her head back against the rest and turned toward Caroline, studying her in the dim glow. "I love you."

"I know."

"I don't mind turning forty-eight like this."

"How about fifty?" Caroline asked.

"How about sixty?" Eleanor winked at her and laughed.

* * *

The house was mostly dark when they stepped through the door, just a soft glow coming from the living room.

Eleanor frowned and turned to Caroline. "Is someone here?"

Caroline grinned and slid off Eleanor's coat. She was doing well at keeping this one off her guard. "It's just us." She took her hand and lead her into the living room. There was a bottle of _Moet_ and a bottle of _The Balvenie_. "I wasn't sure which you'd prefer."

"It depends on the occasion, I suppose. I think maybe right now I want -" Eleanor tapered off. "Well I don't know."

Caroline clicked on the stereo. Carefully selected and Eleanor's favorite, Rosemary Clooney. She offered her hand. "Care for a dance?"

"Yes. Always."

 _"You were just passing by, but you started something..."_

Caroline took the lead. She stepped into Eleanor and smiled over her shoulder. She ran a hand under her hair, around her neck, and spoke in a light tone. "You know, Eleanor. I think I might have gone and fallen in love with you."

Eleanor nodded, closed any space between them and followed Caroline as she guided them in slow, small steps, movements easy and confident.

"Well I've fallen head over heels – and well turned out heels, if you please – in love with you."

The music continued, the world consisted only of the two of them, and Caroline forgot to be anxious. For a moment. She collected herself for at least the tenth time that evening. She was terrified to ask again, but she had to hear Eleanor say _yes_. The beat of her heart was thunderous, and every second that passed felt heavier. She couldn't wait any longer. She brought her hand up and tucked Eleanor's hair back, and turned to whisper in her ear.

"I have to ask you something." The music began to wane. Caroline slowed, stopped and stepped back. Her face was a mess of emotions and she knew it. She couldn't set it any way but in a ridiculous smile, though she'd started to cry. "But before we get to questions, I want to say some things to you first."

"Can I sit while you do? I think I ought to." Eleanor put a hand to her mouth, then wiped tears that were flowing freely.

"Yes. Please. Both of us." She took Eleanor's hands in her lap. She took a big breath, and began. "I thought about this over and over, but I still can't remember myself very clearly."

Eleanor sniffed, and kissed her cheek. "I think you're doing fine, so far."

"Right." Another pause for courage. "Eleanor, I – have so much respect for you. Professionally of course." She kicked herself for saying the least romantic thing possible at the moment, remembered what she was doing, who she was with, and continued. "You're the only person I trust more than I trust myself. I trust you - with my family – with Flora. You're a wonderful mother. I mean, June and Lily are role models. I couldn't imagine big sisters who would be better in Flora's life."

She held Eleanor's hands more tightly, the anticipation in her eyes urging her on and making her feel brave.

"You're wonderful with Flora, and she adores you. Do you remember – when we were meant to go to London on holiday, the first time, and I brought her along because she was sick? You didn't mind at all. And do you remember how you just took care of us when it all went wrong? Took care of everything? When I was muddled and frustrated? You just made it all better. For me and for Flora. I didn't even have to ask for help. You just fixed things like you knew exactly what was what and you couldn't possibly be wrong. You took care of us. That's who you are."

"Took care of it the way you would have done?" Eleanor laughed through her tears. She let go of Caroline's hands and swiped at her eyes again, before grabbing them back quickly.

"I know I have a certain way I like things, and do things, and expect things. I know I'm used to getting my way. And I like it. But you don't just give me my way, do you? You make me earn it. You make me prove it. But you love me the whole time, unconditionally. You're not easy, Eleanor. And you make me a better person by challenging me. I know that."

Another deep breath in for both of them before Caroline continued. "You're a partner. I've learned that I need that. I certainly never had the slightest idea what anyone ever meant by that before." She smiled ruefully. "I didn't know how long I'd been waiting for that until I fell in love with you. And I don't want to be without that in my life. I want to know who I can become with that in my life. With you in my life."

Eleanor only nodded.

Apparently Caroline had finally done it. Gone and stolen any smart remarks right from her pert lips. She might be putting the cart before the horse with this. No house to share, kids, parents, and so many things to sort. But there was never enough time, never as much time as one thought there'd be. She wouldn't, couldn't, go another day without Eleanor wearing her ring. Telling herself, Caroline, the rest of the world, that there was only ever one person for her, and she'd been found, and that was that.

She leaned over to the table next to them and pulled a small box from behind the bottle of scotch. Deep blue and wrapped in creamy, lush, white ribbon. She offered it to Eleanor. "Would you like to unwrap it?"

"I think I can manage." She smirked as she answered, but as she took the box, her hand was shaking. She fumbled, slowly undid the bow, and set the ribbon on the table. She opened it and removed the smaller velvet box, still dark blue, from inside. She handed it back to Caroline, then closed her eyes.

Caroline watched her closely, feeling powerful and intensely vulnerable at the same time. When Eleanor finally re-opened her eyes, Caroline turned the little box of forever toward her and opened it. "Will you marry me, Eleanor?"


	7. Chapter 7

_'No.'_

 _'What do you mean, no?'_

 _'I won't see you tomorrow night.'_ Caroline's phone was silent for a while after she stopped typing, and the screen went dark. She resumed her text message to Eleanor. _'I'll see you today. And if I can, right now.'_

She pictured Eleanor's dark head bent over her mobile, and her flirting smirk as she sat at her desk on the other side of Harrogate.

Caroline's phone was quiet for a frustratingly long time before it blinked to life.

' _What time are you taking lunch.'_

 _'Noon.'_

Once again, she pictured Eleanor in her office at Anadyne, lit by the bright November sun. She then pictured her in her bed this morning. Blanketed only in that bright November sun. She heard her deep voice in her head, ringing out over and over again through the house, then the bedroom, the entire night previous. _"_ Yes, Caroline. Yes."

 _'Your place or mine?'_

 _'Mum and Alan are back.'_

 _'I can be quiet – well, quieter. I'm sure they won't mind. ;-) '_

Caroline smiled. _'But they'll notice. I want you to myself. Your place at noon. Don't be late, please.'_

 _'I'll be early. xxx'_

Caroline sighed. She'd planned the marriage proposal down to the last detail. Minus the ridiculous notion that a Sunday night, followed by a Monday morning, would be optimal timing. All she could think about was Eleanor. All she could see was Eleanor. After the work and struggle of it all, she was finally feeling that they were standing on bedrock and ready to build. She was filled with an irrepressible optimism and actual excitement for the future. She felt ten years younger and uncontrollably – frisky.

She put her glasses back on and turned to the computer, glanced down at the corner of the screen, playing at the silver infinity loop hanging at her throat, running her fingers over its contours. 10:47. _'This is ridiculous.'_ She clicked open her calendar, studied it, and buzzed Beverley.

"Can you pop _in_ , please?" Her tone was light and stupidly girlish - but it was Beverley and she made no effort to hide herself.

Beverley came through smartly a moment later, notepad in hand. "Yes?"

"I'm going home for the day." In illustration Caroline turned and shut down her computer, then turned back to Beverley, who was grinning, one hand on her hip.

"Touch under the weather?" Still smiling, Beverly continued. "Might explain your inexplicable good nature during the faculty brawl that that broke out over divvying up that unexpected surplus in the English department."

"Feeling positively awful." Caroline stood and beamed back.

"Can I ask?"

"You can - and I did." Caroline fixed her with a pointed look as she flipped up her blonde hair and slid into her black blazer.

"Dr. Strathclyde?"

"Yep." Bright blue eyes and the familiar pop in the 'p' at the end of the word.

"And of course she accepted?"

"Yep."

"I see." Beverley's look became conspiratorial. "Should I clear your day tomorrow as well?"

Caroline frowned indulgently as she picked up her bag and draped her overcoat on her forearm. "No need to go that far, I don't think."

Beverley feigned somber agreement. Caroline had learned recently that her looks of disapproval were no longer in any way intimidating, nor even always effective with her.

"Congratulations. To both of you."

The weight of it came over her for a moment, the realness of the telling, and she paused and met Beverley's eyes. "Yes." She exhaled loudly. "Thank you."

"Before you go - I'm sorry - but I'm afraid we've had a - situation - come up. It's nothing we can't fix in a jiff, but it is rather annoying."

She frowned, really meaning it this time, and Beverley continued.

"Apparently none of the classrooms have dry erase markers this morning."

"Has there been an issue with supply?" Caroline's frown became a scowl. "You haven't mentioned anything."

"It's not that. I'm afraid they've all disappeared simultaneously."

"Ah. The class of 2018 feeling their oats already?"

A resigned look passed over Beverley's face. Though the faculty were usually the brunt of the jokes, remedying the situation usually feel to her. "I'm afraid so."

Caroline came around her desk. "Chin up soldier. We manage it ever year, somehow."

Beverley saluted. "Aye, captain."

They smiled at each other for a moment. Caroline remembered what was waiting at home, and concern over dry erase markers disappeared from her mind.

"Go on then. You're hopeless." Beverley shoo'd her with a wave of her notepad. "Mum's the word here, I'll square it all – as long as you can try and manage to look a little dour on your way out the building."

She did her best to look the part of the implacable matron as she flowed down the stairs and across the portico. Class was in session, and she was grateful for the abandoned hallways. Congratulating herself on the easy getaway as she clicked around the corner to the corridor before the car park, she let Eleanor wander through her mind again, filling it with fluid impressions of dark auburn and warm skin.

Lost in the throes of anticipation, she ran smack into Michael Dobson as he exited his classroom. She dropped her bag and he his papers.

"Oh – Michael." She was initially vexed but recovered herself. "Thoroughly my fault. I'm so sorry." She bent to pick up his papers.

He was flat-footed and nonplussed, clearly expecting a very different response as she stood with a smile and handed them back over to him.

"Uh – Caroline?"

She'd already begun to walk off, bag crooked in her elbow and keys in hand. She turned back to him. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if I might have a quick word?" His eager expression faded as hers changed from one of mild and feigned interest to frustration.

She put her shoulders back and set her hip to one side. "Fine. The operative word here being quick, Michael." Give them an inch – she regretted already her inviting manner. His resolve and his posture weakened as Caroline's face fully transformed back into the more familiar typically worn by Headmistress McKenzie Dawson.

"Well." He shifted under her gaze, which was becoming impatient. "The budget surplus that - came up this morning."

"You want your piece of it. Likely _more_ than your piece of it." She nodded once, sharply. "So what is it then, Michael? Chop chop." She tilted her head down toward him, missing only her glasses for effect.

"Ah yes. Well." He took a deep breath. "It's for a batch of new books for 9Fs. Really we should have had them two years ago. Johnston Day's had the one's I've been wanting on their curriculum for several terms now."

"Perhaps you'd prefer to teach at Johnston Day, then?"

He recognized his error, several of his errors, all at once. "Not at all. Just putting in a plug."

" _Right_. Noted." She continued to stare at him.

"Okay, then." He turned and slunk off down the corridor.

She watched him walk off. _'Insufferable.'_

She scowled down the corridor opposite and set off again, but as she walked through the door, strutted out into the sun, and blipped open the Jeep, a wide smile plastered itself back on her face. The rest of the day would be shaping up well enough.

* * *

"Jeffrey?" Eleanor turned from the computer to look at her office phone as she spoke toward it.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you plan to address Joan Phillips that way?" Jeffrey, her trusted and beloved assistant, was being promoted next month during the merger to become the Executive Assistant to the CEO at Pantheon. He'd gotten a little cheeky with Eleanor since the arrangement became final.

"While she's asking me to make sure that the right winter tires are being put on her Jag? Absolutely." It was a promotion, but rumors abounded about Pantheon's CEO and her benevolent usury of subordinates.

"Mmmmm. Fair enough." Eleanor studied her calendar as he waited patiently on the other end of the line. "Look - I need you to get me out of my 3pm call today with the Pantheon COO."

"Does this have anything to do with that bit of fantastic bling you were wearing when you traipsed in late this morning?"

Jeffrey had immediately spotted the ring and practically eaten her alive with questions when she'd come in. She couldn't tell if he was more excited about the jewelry or the engagement.

"If I say no, will you believe me?"

"Not for a minute."

"Fine. Then it's none of your business." She smirked and felt it returned.

"Consider it done, Eleanor. Anything for _love_." His voice dripped sarcasm.

"Anything for diamonds is what I think you mean, Jeffrey. I know you better than that."

"Better than my last four boyfriends put together. And I will miss you terribly, Eleanor. Not just this afternoon."

"I'll miss you too. What will I do without your handsome smiling face greeting me every morning?"

"I can't imagine. I'm sad just thinking about it."

"Oh enough. I'm leaving." She clicked off with a smile and gathered herself up.

As she picked up her bag, she noticed, really noticed, the ring that had already garnered so much attention. It wasn't the diamonds, it wasn't the platinum, but what it meant to her, the journey to get here, that took her breath away so unexpectedly, and she sat heavily back in her chair. _'We were fools to even think of coming to work today.'_ She had plowed head-first through a dreadfully absorbing budget meeting earlier. Madhur their CFO asking her the kind of questions that blotted out anything but numbers.

But Caroline - her wicked temper and her wicked smarts, the kindness and compassion underneath it all and never boring for a second. She'd been simmering in the back of Eleanor's mind all morning. Her whole face had lit in a smile as she'd returned to the office to find her text. They'd set a time for 'lunch' and she'd done nothing since. It wasn't even near half eleven but there was no way she could sit at her desk another minute. There were perhaps a million things she wanted to talk about and think about, and none of them had anything to do with pharmaceuticals.

She took a deep breath in, exhaled, and flew out the door with no intention of returning that day.

* * *

Caroline was already waiting at Eleanor's house, the clock in the now very familiar kitchen ticking loudly on the wall. She drummed her fingers on the counter top, literally watching the kettle and waiting for it to boil. She knew Eleanor wouldn't be late, she never was, and she loved that about her. But it was still quarter to noon and she'd given up pacing and stewing in favor of busying herself making a cup of tea.

Finally, she heard Eleanor's SUV. _'Oh thank god.'_ She snapped off the gas under the kettle just as it started to whistle and abandoned her empty tea mug. She walked through the dining room, then stopped. _'What are you going to do, tackle her in the drive?'_ She crossed her arms and stood, stupidly, in the middle of the room, still in the same clothes she'd had on when she left for work. She heard the car door shut and her stomach flipped. _'You idiot. You should have just waited for her in bed, stripped and ready to go. Too late now. Try to make yourself look intentional, in some way?'_ She only had one thing on her mind. And if sex were on her mind, guaranteed it had been on her – fiancée's - five minutes previous.

Eleanor breezed through the door. She tossed her coat and her bag somewhere near where they belonged in the entry and fixed Caroline with a serious look.

"I assume you have no intention of actually eating lunch over the course of the next hour."

"Nope." Caroline strode forward, shrugging out of her blazer as she walked. "And if you think this is only going to take an hour, you're going to be very, very late for something."

Eleanor didn't have time to laugh as Caroline crashed into her. She couldn't speak through her kiss, and finally caught her breath as Caroline moved her attentions down to her neck, and then her cleavage. She buried her hands in Caroline's thick blonde hair and closed her eyes, ecstatic but frustrated.

"Can't we just, somehow, fit all of forever into right now? Because that's what I want. I want to be in all our years together simultaneously, each and every one of them, all this very second." She ripped off Caroline's black knit sleeveless shell. _'Damn her black bras and her perfectly pale freckled skin.'_ She pushed her by her hips toward the stairs as she unzipped her skirt.

"I'm afraid that not even I can find a way around those theoretical physics. But I would very, very much like to try." Caroline smiled against Eleanor's jawline and whipped off and discarded her thin belt on her way to unbuttoning her chocolate brown trousers. She glanced down. _'Is that - leopard print?_ ' She immediately tore off her sweater to discover the matching set.

They made it to the landing, but were so bound by various stages of undress they couldn't make it any further up the stairs. Eleanor pouted as Caroline pushed her against the wall with a ravenous look. She shook her head. "This will not suit my purposes in any way."

Caroline exhaled, loud and showy. She rested her palms against the wall on either side of Eleanor and tilted her forehead against hers. She took them both in with an appraising glance, and the trail of garments leading up the stairs. She couldn't help but laugh.

She struggled to catch her breath, lips millimeters from Eleanor's and her eyes traveling all over her face. She couldn't hide her fascination, got out only a question - "Why is it that contemplating spending the rest of my life with you makes me so bloody impatient?"

Eleanor reached around and re-zipped Caroline's skirt. But she held her firmly in place against the wall as she ran her hands and her eyes slowly all the way up her torso, finally resting them on her shoulders. She responded with a soft, despairing sigh. "I suppose it must be because I'm so bloody fantastic." She donned a nasty grin and pushed Caroline gently away by her shoulders. Caroline turned and swayed up the stairs, Eleanor hot on her heels.


	8. Chapter 8

"Yes."

Sweat trickled down Caroline's chest and she felt a pair of hands grasp her waist.

"But a little deeper." She felt the grip firm up, gently pulling her torso down and forward.

"Right there. Perfect."

She met Eleanor's twinkling smile. She winked and Caroline rolled her eyes. _'How has she talked me into this?'_

"And when you're ready, down into twisted triangle." The yoga instructor finally, mercifully, let go of Caroline's waist and then wound her way forward through the rest of the class.

She stood with her feet spread across the squishy yoga mat, one foot turned out, one forward, back leg straight and front bent at ninety degrees, her thighs screaming at her and her shoulders feeling a million pounds as she tried to keep her arms parallel to the floor. _'And who the hell are these warriors who stand in these ridiculous poses, anyway?'_

Her decidedly un-yoga-like feisty temperament quickly changed as she watched Eleanor flow forward with a single, lithe movement and place her palm flat next to her foot, and stretch her other arm up straight toward the sky, face serene but stern as she concentrated on the next pose.

A smirk crept on to Eleanor's mouth. "Don't stare. It's impolite."

Caroline bent forward, her elbow on her knee and hair plastered to her face as she approximated Eleanor's stance and whispered back. "Your eyes are closed. How do you know I'm staring? And I'm not."

From the front of the room their instructor interrupted the exchange. "And now when you're ready, draw your leg back and come forward again into downward dog."

Eleanor exhaled in relaxation and Caroline exhaled in relief, as she stood before bending down again. _'Ah. The dog. That one I remember.'_

Eleanor looked over to her, through their elbows as they made triangles on their respective mats. They were safely tucked in a corner in the back of the hot and sunlit room, surrounded by women in variously flexible positions. "I can always feel your eyes on me."

Another direction from the front of the room. "And finally, relax into child's pose. Feel your breathing and your heart rate slow. Remind yourself of the intention you set as we began the morning, and return to it. Feel yourself center as we conclude."

Caroline closed her eyes as she curled into herself and admitted that her back, though tired, was looser than it had been in ages. She felt like a tenderized boneless chicken. She heard the rest of the class begin to stir, but stayed in place to enjoy the feeling of her body sinking into the ground. She felt a pair of hands on her waist once again, and these were more than familiar. She smiled as they tugged her up on to all fours.

"A little cat cow, darling, to round you out." A hand brushed across the always offending spot on her lower back as Eleanor's deep voice purred in her ear.

Caroline obliged and exhaled from her core as her stomach bottomed out. She looked up to Eleanor standing over her, hands on her own hips and appreciative smile on her face. An eyebrow began to creep upward as she read Caroline's expression perfectly.

"Oh but we are in public, aren't we?" She held out her hand as Caroline sat back on her heels. "So we'll save the admonishments for later."

The instructor came back to them. "Really well done, for your first time. I hope you enjoyed it."

Caroline almost laughed as she took in the ropy and lean girl with the bright smile complimenting her. _'She's all of what, twenty-six?'_

"I can't say I didn't enjoy it." She gave away nothing with her expression, and the girl's smile dimmed.

Next to her, Eleanor chuckled. "Thank you Jeannie. We had a lovely time. And I'll watch out for this one over the next couple days."

Jeannie eyed Caroline warily. "Mind that you do."

Caroline frowned. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Eleanor didn't reply, but bent to roll their mats and grabbed their towels. She turned and scooted away quickly, out of reach, before commenting over her shoulder, "I forgot to mention that you might be a little sore after the first class."

Caroline opened her mouth to respond, but closed it and strutted after Eleanor who disappeared into the changing room. She eyed her up and down as they rummaged in their lockers. Over Eleanor's shoulder she saw another woman paying particular attention to them. Well - particular attention to Eleanor - as she was pulling off her sweaty tank top. The offender was much younger. Short dark hair in a pixie, and a tight, tattooed body to match her tender years.

 _'God she's not even trying to be subtle.'_ She pulled her own shirt back on over her head, fixed an icy blue gaze on the interloper and raised her voice. "Oy – you. Eyes on your own paper, if you don't mind."

The girl caught her look - grabbed her bag and quickly turned and dashed off.

Eleanor pretended not to smile.

"More than one reason you enjoy yoga, then, sweetheart?" Caroline slammed the door of her locker.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Teenagers ogling you on the sly. I had no idea you were so vain."

"You had every idea that I'm exactly that vain."

"Pffhht. Hardly." _'You're not half as vain as you should be, when it comes down to it.'_ She swatted her on the shoulder and grabbed her own bag as Eleanor smiled and followed her out into the lobby of the studio.

Eleanor touched her shoulder, paused them before they exited into the chilly November morning. She sorted through her bag, grabbed a hoodie and handed it to her. "Trust me."

She shrugged it on and zipped it up. Eleanor pulled the hood up over her head, hands tugging it forward to frame Caroline's face in blonde and navy blue. "You're adorable."

"Thank you." She placed a finger on Eleanor's sternum and smiled. She fished the car keys from her bag and they headed out to the Jeep.

They piled in and Caroline was indeed grateful for the extra layer. After the heat of the studio the morning felt glacial. But the contrasting cool was nice on her back.

Eleanor leaned forward and fished her mobile out of her bag as it buzzed, frowned down at a text message and dismissed it as they pulled out of the car park.

"You know they do have toddler yoga. I'd be more than happy to take Flora. In fact, I think she'd love it."

Caroline stared over dubiously. "Please. Be my guest." She tried to imagine Flora paying attention to anything at all for more than a minute, much less following any kind of instruction from a stranger. Still, Eleanor had a way with her. It seemed she was as persuasive with toddlers as she was with adults.

"Wonderful. It'll be nice to have something that we can do together. Mummy and Me at the library is your thing. I want to have mine, too." Eleanor, now busy tying up her unruly hair, pouted over at her.

Caroline came to a stop sign. She reached over and took Eleanor's hand. As she did, she felt the unfamiliar hard contours of the engagement ring. _'She's all yours. Every beautiful glorious bit of her - and you both know it.'_ "I do love you."

The car behind blared its horn. Caroline immediately jerked her head and looked up into the rearview, and shouted back. "Just keep your bloody shirt on! I'm going!" She took an extra second to look over the intersection and muttered another profanity under her breath as she pulled forward.

Eleanor let out a giant laugh and shook her head. "Oh and I do love you right back."

* * *

"A little sore. A little bloody sore?" Caroline slid a portion of scrambled eggs on to Flora's plate Sunday morning and glared over at Eleanor, who placed her hands protectively over Flora's ears and glanced meaningfully at Lily.

"Always with the language." She shook her head, mocking and disapproving.

"Well I'm sorry. But this goes above and beyond sore."

"It gets better, the more you practice it."

"The more I practice it." Caroline eyed Eleanor with real menace, turned away from the girls and dropped her voice. "Bloody hell."

"Nothing that a hot bath, an aspirin, and a glass of wine can't fix." Eleanor stood with her tea mug and walked around the counter and into the kitchen to stand next to Caroline at the stove. She took the kettle and refilled her mug. "Or a nice long walk and another good - stretch. Gaining flexibility can be hard work. But it's not without its rewards."

Caroline rolled her eyes and picked up both their breakfast plates, turned and set them up next to the girls on the countertop.

Lily was engaged coaxing Flora into eating her eggs. She wasn't nearly as patient as June, but she had a way about her, just like her mum, and it was working.

Caroline sat next to her and leaned over with a low tone. "How do you do it?"

Lily grinned and widened her green eyes comically and pointed to them. "Persuasion is all about eye contact."

"She learned that trick from mummy dearest, just so you know."

Caroline tucked into her own cheesy omelet and nodded. "I've no doubt."

They chatted. Flora finished half her eggs with a wail. Lily stood immediately and grabbed her plate as well as Flora's and quickly rinsed and deposited them both in the sink before breezing past the two women. "Outta here."

Caroline turned to Flora. "All right, all right. Well done. No need to make a fuss."

Eleanor bussed the remaining dishes and stacked them in the washer as Caroline de-escalated Flora and cleaned her up. There was another threatening moment as Caroline wiped Flora's face. Eleanor leaned over the counter directly in front of the unhappy toddler and caught her eye. "Park?"

Flora stopped crying immediately, smiled and giggled. "Yep. Let's go to the park." Her words were still slow and deliberate, with soft edges. But she was becoming more intelligible by the day.

"Your tactics are suspect, Mummy."

"Ah, but they're effective." Eleanor stood straight. "And I meant it about the walk. So bundle up." She came around the counter and lifted Flora up out of her chair and set her on the ground, where she ran off toward the entry and the coats.

Caroline offered a stern salute – and then her own wink as she stepped forward into Eleanor, wrapping her hands around her hips. "Maybe later we can revisit that bath."

Eleanor's lips turned out and her eyes widened. Caroline released her hands from her waist and she stepped away and followed Flora to the entry as her rebuffed girlfriend scowled.

* * *

"If we're making fine points this morning, Pannal is exactly the right answer, Caroline. I know it's not as central. But they've the easiest rail station to navigate, and we can find a plot large enough that Flora won't necessarily need the park right by. They have lovely and large gardens down there." Eleanor sipped tea from her travel mug as they stood side by side at the playground. It was relatively quiet for a Sunday morning and Flora was enjoying free reign.

Caroline stood fixed with typical skepticism, arms crossed, watching Flora make an endless loop on the slide. Up the steps, down the slide. Up the steps, down the slide. Repeat ad infinitum.

"Your daily commute will change by ten minutes. Max."

"I know I'm spoiled in my routine, Eleanor. You don't have to rub it in. But I've rather grown to like it."

"Just think about it. Pannal. We can get an agent in January, after the holidays. Or we can start looking ourselves. But you are not backing out of this by insisting that there's nowhere suitable." Eleanor finally looked over and poked Caroline's shoulder and frowned.

Caroline pretended to ignore her.

Eleanor took another tack. "Laundry just off the master suite."

Caroline's eyes softened and she looked over in curiosity. "Hmmm?"

"It's what they're doing now with the houses. Laundry near the master." Eleanor carefully kept her eyes on Flora as Caroline narrowed hers over at Eleanor. "Think of all the time it will free up for your adoring wife to dote on you, and the strain it will save on your back."

 _'When and how did she learn me so thoroughly?'_ Caroline began to respond, but became distracted as a boy near Flora's age in a dark blue coat raced over to the slide and up the steps. He brushed her aside and down he went.

Caroline made to step forward, mouth already open and arm coming up in protest. Eleanor placed a hand over it and held Caroline back by her arm - and also with a sly and knowing glance.

Flora waited at the top for the boy to return. He did, and went again to brush her aside as she stood in front of the slide. She planted her feet and stuck her palm directly on his chest, stopping him in his tracks, and added a severe frown. "No. We share."

He was completely taken off guard and stood motionless as Flora giggled and careened down the slide. Subdued, he sat and slowly followed. She made it back to the top of the slide first, stood and waited for the boy in the puffy coat. He approached slowly. She pointed at the slide and he shook his head. She smiled at him, then down the slide she went.

Caroline crossed her arms and smirked at Eleanor's prescience. "She's her mother's daughter."

"Learning to share can be difficult at any age." Eleanor tossed the remark off over her shoulder, and went to collect Flora.

Caroline couldn't help but laugh. Strathclyde women certainly had their unique ways of making a point.


	9. Chapter 9

"Have you noticed anything – any change, about me, recently?" Celia kept her eyes carefully on the road, but tapped a finger at her temple. They sped down the motorway on to Halifax, the Sunday afternoon sun glorious and casting a vibrant green glow on the checkerboard of fields around them.

Alan rumbled in the seat next to her. "Well. Now you mention it…" He shifted. "I don't reckon I have. But then I'm probably not the best judge, seeing you every day."

"No. I suppose not." She returned her gaze to the road. Everyday did have a way of blending. More and more.

"What do you reckon they'll do for the wedding?" Alan asked.

She waved a hand. "Ah. It's Lady Eleanor. Something ridiculous and needlessly extravagant."

"Now I still think you have wrong end of stick entirely, when it comes to Eleanor. She's posh enough. I'll give you that. Her family and all. But I don't think she puts on airs the way you make her out to. Not so different from our Caroline, when you really think about it." He glanced over at Celia, sideways as he did when she'd only just started to rile him. If she pushed it'd be head on and that was certainly no way to walk into a room full of the rowdy Halifax in-laws.

"Ohhh I suppose you're right." She regretted saying anything at all about Eleanor. Not thinking it, but saying it.

"Well, yes, I suppose I could be." His eyes twinkled and he smiled at her. "Now and again."

"Hmmmph. Well princess posh, or whatever she calls herself, can pay for whatever she likes. Caroline's shelled out enough for weddings already."

"Is it really so difficult for you to be happy for them?"

"No." Celia finally looked over, smug. "And yes. But this marrying thing. It seems Caroline's just gone mad for it, now that she's decided she fancies women."

"I don't believe it's that she decided to fancy them. I think she always did." Alan sighed. "Now just think about it for a minute, love. Caroline in, say, ten years. Almost sixty, and with Flora a teenager. Managing it on her own." He shook his head. "I don't envy her that. And I think Eleanor's the type of girl to give her the kind of support she's going to need." He looked over, wagged his bloody finger at her. "And love."

She was silent for a moment, then decided she didn't like at all what he was inferring. Daft or not she'd still like to be drawing breath ten years on. "Well I'd like to think we'd still be around."

"Yes, but suppose we aren't? Or suppose we need her help too."

"Suppose _that_ indeed." Her concentration on the motorway intensified.

"Well one thing is perfectly clear. And that's that you're going to this wedding, if I have to drag you by your ear. What you did – how you acted – last time. You made a mistake. A big one. And you know it, Celia. Don't go and be foolish this time."

"Mmmmm." Celia glanced over her shoulder and switched lanes as they neared the turnoff. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, dear. We don't know anything about it yet. Maybe they'll just elope and make it easier on all of us."

"Don't you wish." Alan smiled over at her and shook his head. "They're happy, aren't they? And I think that's enough." He glanced out the window. "Enough for any of us."

She turned, grabbed his hand to try and dispel his somber reflection and smiled back. A thought struck her out of the blue. "Well did you put Raff's present in the car, before we left, like I asked you to?"

His face was stricken for a moment, then he smiled. "I did. Yes. It's in the boot."

Celia laid a hand over his and patted it as they pulled off the motorway into Halifax. "Good."

* * *

"It's not that I don't want to move in with her. I do. I just don't want to move. It's an awful process." Caroline paced just inside the barn, scowling inwardly at herself and outwardly at Gillian.

"That'd be the story of your life, then, Caroline. Not wanting to do things for others." Gillian eyed the sheep as they filed past them into the barn for the night.

"I've missed your stunning wit. I really have."

Flora apparently did too, as she bounced and giggled happily at her aunt's side, clapping her hands in delight at the sheep.

"Don't ask advice if you don't want to hear it." Gillian slapped a slacker on the haunch and it jumped on.

"I'm not asking for advice." Caroline stared at the moving mass of livestock. "I don't know what I'm doing. Just moaning for the sake of it, perhaps."

"Fair enough. But you're more of a get it done gal, aren't you? When you want to be?"

"I suppose I am." So what _didn't_ Caroline want done in this instance? She didn't have an answer, and Gillian didn't seem to be waiting for one.

Flora ran up and down outside the pen, giggling, as they stood in amiable silence.

In the distance the front door rapped. Soon enough Eleanor came to stand next to Caroline, offering her and Gillian mugs. "Cold day. Hot tea." She smiled at Gillian, who returned it with a shy grin and a nod.

"Thanks."

Eleanor lifted Flora up and over the top rail of the pen to sink her hands into the winter wool. "They're lovely, Gillian." Her smile was full-tilt persuasive, her most charming. Caroline couldn't help but adore it as she saw her working to win Gillian over.

"Reckon you didn't have much to do with animals, growin' up like you did." Apparently, Gillian was having none of it.

Eleanor set Flora down, then laid her hand on one of the sheep, kneading. "We had the horses and the dogs. One for each of us. My sister, Jonathan, and for me. My mare was stunning, really. Gorgeous deep, deep, chestnut Caspian. Larger for her breed. A white blaze, and another piece of paint on her left forearm. All the way down to her hoof." Eleanor's eyes were distant for a moment, then she turned the smile back on, though the wattage had dimmed.

"Take care of them yourself, did you?" Now Gillian was clearly mocking.

"We did, actually. In the morning, after school, putting them up at night. We had a man or two for the land. But the animals weren't his responsibility, they were ours." She looked out the barn door and across the green pasture. "Dad helped, of course, as did Mum, when she was home. Until June was sick. When she was bad, Jonathan and I kept hers as best we could. But, you know, by then, our hearts weren't in it."

She turned back and looked right at Gillian, her expression soft. "We couldn't manage anything at the time. Any of us. So father sold the horses. All of them. But we kept the dogs."

"Oh." Gillian looked over to Caroline, who shrugged. Her mess to step in, Eleanor's past, and now hers to clean up.

"It's fine, Gillian. I had things other people didn't. And other people grew up without things they should have had. I can't be ashamed of that, because I can't change it."

Gillian scowled. "Easy enough to say, isn't it, when you're the one grew up with, instead of without."

Caroline watched Eleanor regard the shorter woman thoughtfully. A black midnight flooded, then faded, in her eyes.

"You're very right. I'm sorry. That was - it is - ill considered. It was the wrong thing to say."

Gillian finally grinned. "It's fine. I do that as well. Say shit I shouldn't." She cast a quick glance at Caroline. "On account of how I grew up and all."

She and Eleanor exchanged a final assessing look, and they both laughed.

"What was she called then, your horse?"

"She was registered as 'Eleanor Ann's Genuine Risk.' But we called her Sally."

Gillian frowned. "Odd nickname."

Eleanor shrugged. "Seemed to suit her fine."

"Shoe fits." Gillian shrugged back.

Eleanor stepped forward and placed a hand on her arm, just at her elbow. Caroline watched, curious, as Gillian tensed further, but relaxed as Eleanor smiled, pushing again, this time succeeding. She bent to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm glad to know you, Gillian. We're certainly not defined by our pasts. Neither one of us. And I'm glad of that too."

She released her, turned, and held her hand out to Caroline. "I think fresh tea is ready. And Raff's been eyeing whatever must be in that brightly wrapped package your Mum and Alan brought up from Harrogate." She grinned shyly one more time at Gillian as she led Caroline off toward the house.

Gillian stripped off work her gloves and slapped them on the pen. She stared at the two women walking up the path, Flora in tow and breath puffing around them. "Right." She turned and looked at the sheep for a while, then nodded to herself with a smile as she headed back up to the farm house. "Right."

* * *

"So there we were. Me and Gillian. Stuck. Rain coming down hard as you please and the rig up to its knees in mud as thick as pudding. Could barely open my door to get out." Alan pounded the worn kitchen table.

"Ah don't make it out like that, dad. You're the one told me to give it a go in the first place. Said we'd make it for sure." Gillian narrowed her eyes and tilted her beer bottle at him.

He winked over at her and then smiled at Caroline. "Well I guess that is the truth of it."

Gillian continued the tale begun what seemed like an hour ago over dinner. They'd taken several conversational diversions. "So we make it back to the house to the phone, at least an hour later. And Robbie – " She inclined her head as Robbie nodded over his beer bottle. "Robbie come with his truck and his winch. And –" Gillian took another drink from her own bottle and clunked it back down. "And to his credit, got us about halfway – deeper in, before sticking his own rig." Robbie blushed and looked down at the table, shaking his head.

"See now, I told you lad, what you should have done, didn't I?" Alan pointed his finger at Robbie, who put down his own bottle with a slam.

"Oh what – tie my other end out to the tree? And have my ride halved? Nah. We'd still be fishing lug nuts, gears and bolts out of the bog if I'd gone and done that." He pointed his own finger back at Alan. "The bloody transmission would still be sunk in mud halfway to China right now, taking your advice, old man."

Caroline shook her head. "What I don't understand is why, for heaven's sake, you didn't just wait and get it out later?" She took a drink from her wine glass and set it gingerly on the table.

Eleanor sat back, crossed her legs demurely. "And have the whole thing cemented in like a monument to poor judgement by the end of the week?" She cast a disapproving look to Caroline, who took in the contempt from the rest of the table.

She stuck her tongue out at Eleanor and quickly flashed her a 'W."

"Well it took a proper truck to come and get us each out. Tore up the whole east pasture something fierce, by the end of it all." Alan wagged his finger again at Gillian, who laughed.

"Don't think I ever got all the muck out, to its dying day, no matter how many times I stripped it and rebuilt it." She raised her bottle, which was met with a cheers from Alan and Robbie. "And that, Caroline, is the story of my very first car."

Caroline ducked her head and studied the table before finishing her glass of wine. "Very well, Gillian. I acknowledge with absolute" she swiped her arms across her chest "and total humility that you are hands down" she placed both palms flat on the table, "the engineering and mechanical and navigational genius of the McKenzie-Dawson, Buttershaw," she glanced over to Eleanor "- and Strathclyde family. No competition."

A great good-natured commotion ensued. Raff and Ellie and Celia glanced over from the sofa in the living room, finally torn away from the tele and the current histrionics on Gogglebox. Calamity and Flora had thoroughly run themselves ragged all afternoon and were sacked out on top of each other amongst them.

Eleanor stood and walked in to the living room and turned her back to the fire for a moment. She cast her eyes over Flora, and threw a subtle glance back over to Caroline, who nodded and stood. "Right. Off we go."

Gillian stood with Caroline, who took her wine glass over to the sink to rinse it and set it on the drain board.

She touched Caroline's arm and they stood close to each other.

"For what it's worth, I like her. Your Eleanor. I do, Caroline. Wasn't clear about that, I don't think."

"Well I like that you like her, seeing that we're going to be spending the rest of our lives together." Caroline dried her hands on a towel and worried it between her hands before looking up with earnest blue eyes. "Your thoughts are worth a lot to me. Really, they are."

Gillian offered up a lopsided grin. "You know I remember you here on the couch a couple years ago, going on about her like a silly school girl. And I can see it now, why you took a shine to her."

"Can you?" Caroline tilted her head and smiled.

She put a finger on Caroline's shoulder. "Yes. I do see it. Love you thought she was 'absolutely fucking insufferable,'" she teased Caroline. "But she's no snottier than you are, at the end of the day. Actually I'd say she's a fair bit more humble. You could stand to learn a thing or two from her."

Caroline draped the dish towel over Gillian. "Well - I'll keep that front and center in my head then, your highness." She gave an approximation of a small curtsey.

Gillian whipped the towel back off her shoulder and swatted it at Caroline. "Mind that you do."

Eleanor came up behind, sliding her hands around Caroline's midriff. She set her chin on her shoulder. "Monday morning calls."

She turned her head against Eleanor's. "Thanks, Mum."

"And who, my darling, agreed to drive us home?" Eleanor's eyes danced as she turned Caroline to face her disapproval.

"That would be you." She wrested a hand free and planted a finger on Eleanor's sternum with a smile.

"Indeed." Eleanor looked up over to Gillian again. "Thank you for a wonderful afternoon – and evening."

"Ah sure. It was nothing." Gillian seemed at times to have trouble making eye contact with Eleanor. But she looked up with another smile. "I hope we'll see more of you soon."

Caroline stepped around Eleanor and went to the living room to collect Flora from the sofa.

Eleanor regarded Gillian carefully. "I think that's a safe bet."

"Yes. Well. Be good to her, and all." Gillian tilted her head to the side and glanced at Caroline.

Eleanor was quiet, a small grin on her lips. "It's no use. Pretending you haven't come to love her as much as I do. No matter how trying she can be."

Gillian laughed. "Is that right?"

"I'm always right." Eleanor smiled and laughed, her long hair falling forward over her lightweight flannel shirt - almost the mirror of Gillian's, but accented in green instead of red. "She has a way of getting to you. She pretends to be a terrible person, but she's not really. At all. She's perhaps the most generous woman I know. She tucked the stray dark auburn locks behind her ears and turned to Caroline, standing in the doorway and holding Flora, who was now very much too big for being held.

"You're right about that." Gillian ducked her head, grinned, flicked the towel at Eleanor, who scooted out of range.

Eleanor leaned into the living room and waved. "Good night, all."

The assembly turned toward her. Alan piped up. "Drive safe, love."

"Of course. Precious cargo." She jerked her thumb toward Caroline and Flora. She fished the keys to the Jeep out of her bag as they walked into the dark yard. She blipped the lights on as Caroline strolled down the front path with Flora over her shoulder.

Eleanor started the car, clucking. "We're getting another safety seat for the Land Rover. I can't stand to drive this clunky beast you call a car any longer."

Caroline rested her head against the back of her seat and looked over. "You're an absolute snob, Eleanor Strathclyde."

"Don't I know it." She backed out around the drive and drove forward down the lane. Her passengers were both out cold by the time she hit the A58.


	10. Chapter 10

Caroline felt a creeping cold as she woke, still buckled into the front seat of the Jeep. Groggily, she turned and looked out the window. The lights were on in the entry and the upstairs of Eleanor's house.

The front door opened and Eleanor strolled toward the car, hands in the pockets of her jeans. She opened the passenger door as Caroline unbuckled herself.

She pouted at Eleanor. "You left me out in the cold."

"I tried to wake you and you said a couple of rather rude things. So I left you to your own devices while I tucked Flora in for the night." Eleanor stood with her hand on the car door and shut it after her. "And I could do without the snoring, after an hour of it."

Caroline shook herself against the cold and grinned bashfully. "Sorry about that."

"I'm a beast when you try and wake me in the morning. I know it. No hard feelings." She snuck a hand around Caroline's waist and they walked toward the house.

"All true." She shivered again as they passed through the foyer. She shrugged off her coat and hung it next to Eleanor's. "We never got that hot bath you referenced so long ago this morning." Betraying her own intentions, she yawned, mighty and gaping.

"Perhaps tomorrow night." Eleanor did what she did constantly, reached up and tucked the blond hair framing Caroline's face behind her ears, swept back her bangs.

A smile crept on to her lips as she held her hand out to Eleanor and they headed toward the stairs. "Okay. No bath. But I did have a nice nap on our way home."

"Did you?"

She pulled Eleanor through the doorway into the bedroom. "You were right about that walk and the glass of wine. I'm feeling much more limber than I was this morning."

"Are you?"

"Yes. But you also mentioned something about a good stretch. So how about you stretch my back – and properly?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Eleanor stepped into Caroline confidently, who stepped back from her approach.

"Easy, tiger." She turned and stood at the bureau, leaving Eleanor standing with her hands on her hips and a fiery expression of disapproval.

She smiled as she watched Eleanor simmer. She'd been winding her up all day. Not that she didn't still appreciate Eleanor's physical demeanor. Instead she was beginning to appreciate more the benefits of frustrating it, in the short term. _'I wonder how long I'll be able to get away with this little power play.'_ As she removed her jewelry and undid her ponytail she continued to watch Eleanor in the mirror, who watched her right back and began to undo the buttons of her plaid flannel shirt, slowly and deliberately, frowning at her with stern promise. Caroline smiled to herself. _'I suppose, actually, that I should instead wonder how long Eleanor's been on to me.'_

She placed her hands on her hips and turned and faced Eleanor directly - who crossed her arms.

"This is ridiculous." She stepped forward, standing right in front of Caroline now, and pouted. "Why are you playing this game with me?"

Caroline frowned, started to speak, to insist it wasn't a game, but of course that wasn't true. She realized had no idea what she was after. "To be perfectly honest, I really don't know."

"Unless the answer is that you want to drive me to embarrassing heights of unrequited lust, I fear we're going to have a conversation." Eleanor spat the last word.

"And what if that is the answer?" Caroline grinned and hooked a finger through the front of Eleanor's bra.

Eleanor parted her mouth suggestively. She put a finger to her lower lip, and tilted her head down - then looked up bashfully at Caroline through her eyelashes, but didn't speak.

Caroline's dropped her hands to Eleanor's waist, pulling her forward.

Eleanor brought her hands up and pushed her back, swatted her shoulder. "Oh no you don't."

"Excuse me?"

"No, Caroline. Excuse _me_. I'm not your doe-eyed, vapid nymph." Eleanor dipped her hand into the waistband of Caroline's jeans and tugged her forward and back almost simultaneously. "I mean - I am a nymph. And a damn sexy one. But doe-eyed and vapid, not so much. And something feels wrong about you right now. So talk to me."

She fumed at Eleanor's condescension, but took her meaning. "All right then, nymph." She gestured at Eleanor's mostly naked body. "Shirt on."

"How about my shirt on, and your shirt off?" Eleanor widened her eyes suggestively.

Caroline laughed. "And who is it exactly that called for this conversation right as I was about to reprise that shagging you're so mad about?"

"Fine." Eleanor skirted Caroline closely and grabbed an oversized t-shirt from the dresser. She doffed her jeans and threw them at the basket. "Better?"

Caroline took in her mostly bare long legs and shook her head. "Sure." She turned and took off her own sweater and bra and put on her shirt and shorts for bed.

Eleanor grabbed a tie from the nightstand and began to braid her hair.

 _'Oh I hate it when she braids her hair before bed. It's like a giant keep out sign.'_ She passed her gaze over Eleanor's legs one more time. _'And I'd better come up with a reasonable explanation for this whole thing.'_ She racked her brain. Was there anything she was feeling other than excitement at marrying Eleanor? Anticipation?

They were still talking like kids at Christmas about the whens and the wheres of everything. But neither of them was in a rush. Their commitment was made, and she felt more solid now than ever about their partnership. Moving her from being another trusted adult for Flora to being a Mum and a co-parent. She drifted for a moment in her thoughts, imagining actually marrying Eleanor. She glanced over at her again, distracted and fussing with her mobile as she waited for Caroline.

She watched her squint and smiled at her stubborn refusal to accept that she needed reading glasses all the time now. Watched her unconsciously put a hand on her hip and frown at something she clearly didn't like, but her expression change a moment later to a smile that Caroline never stopped thinking of as provocative.

That provocative smile made her imagine their wedding night. Would they go away immediately? Wait awhile before the honeymoon? Expectantly she thought about going away with Eleanor after the wedding, and all of a sudden felt something – shift. And she thought of Kate. The vacation they had planned to America and had never taken.

She walked slowly over to Eleanor. She stood next to the bed and regarded her with loving exasperation. "I'm really not going to be able to get away with anything, am I?" She reached over and tugged her braid gently. "Even if I confess, am I damned to miss out this evening?"

Eleanor turned with a sly smile. "Confessions are always looked upon with merciful consideration and granted immediately clemency by the court."

"Good." Caroline exhaled up through her bangs. "Though I don't really want to talk about it."

"Of course not. Neither do I. I hate talking. I loathe it." Eleanor frowned.

"But." Caroline nodded. The ship had sailed. "Yep."

Eleanor tossed back the duvet dramatically. "How about a spoon full of sugar, darling. Always works for Ms. Poppins." Eleanor returned to the dresser and donned pajama pants. "I'm trying to keep us focused," she replied to the unverbalized question.

"Ah."

"This all started with mention of a good and proper stretch. So let's do it. You focus on that while you talk, and we'll muddle through together." Eleanor pointed at the bed and Caroline laid herself flat out on her back.

Eleanor jumped back onto the bed and straddled one of Caroline's legs. She lifted the other, propped it on her shoulder and began to lean forward. Caroline winced at the increasing intensity until Eleanor finally stopped.

"I see the difficulty in staying focused. Sort of." The grimace stayed on Caroline's face, but her back was actually very grateful when the pressure eased.

"Now. What's up." Eleanor placed a hand on Caroline's chest and looked at her directly before turning her head and making a show of focusing on Caroline's leg again.

"I've been thinking about our honeymoon lately."

"Mmmmmm. Me too."

"And I've had a hard time being as excited about it as I'd like to be. As I think I ought to be."

Eleanor gently set Caroline's leg down and moved to the other, duplicating the stretch and balancing the muscles. "Oh."

"But I didn't really think about why, until just now." Caroline winced again and let out a great sigh. "The wedding. It's making me think of Kate." _'There. I've said it. And I wonder how long she's going to be patient with me talking about the way Kate fits into our marriage?'_

Eleanor was quiet, but slowly released the tension she'd been holding against Caroline. She sat back on her heels, placing her hands on her thighs. "Of course it has." It was her turn to sigh. "I've said it before. We each have a past. You've met mine. She's destructive, and whatever presence she has is very little to do with love. But I'm moving on - with your help." She looked down at her hands, but right back up. "Your past – Kate. She's love. That's what your ghost is. Love. And that's a good thing." She smiled softly.

Caroline felt at that moment as if she could die for loving her so strongly.

Eleanor continued, her voice firm but quiet. "It's also a hard thing, because I don't want to share you. And the way Kate died, so unfairly and soon - well she'll always be a little bit perfect for you, won't she?" Eleanor's eyes were still soft, but Caroline saw the hurt and the challenge, a little frustration. "So in some ways I do share you. I told you how it is with first girlfriends. I think you might believe me now." She leaned forward again, hand on Caroline's chest.

Caroline laid hers over it. "We can't help what we feel. We can't help having our ghosts. But we can talk about them, I suppose, and try to put them in perspective." She ran a hand down Eleanor's arm.

They stared at each other for a while, until Eleanor huffed. "Can we be done talking now?"

"Please."


	11. Chapter 11

Caroline watched a familiar scroll of surprise, then disdain, roll across her mother's face. The assembled Dawson-Strathclyde party stood outside the guest house at Eleanor's family home. Celia was taking in the main house beyond, the massive aging edifice visible through the bare December trees, looming large at the top of a gentle green rise. The weekend of Eleanor's birthday had arrived, and they'd all followed through with Margaret's invitation to stay in Cayton Bay.

"Well she said the house was quite large. Not that it was a palace. I don't envy her having to grow up here, that's for sure." Celia whispered this over to Alan, but Caroline, not far over and helping Flora out of the Jeep, heard clearly. She had no doubt Eleanor –

"I can hear you, Celia. And so can Lily. Enough editorial, please."

"Well. I was just –" Celia paused.

Eleanor had stopped unloading the boot. She stood with her hands in her coat pockets, apparently waiting for her to finish.

Caroline was – sort of – enjoying the show, but she scooted Flora over to Lily, who took her hand and their bags and hastily retreated into the cottage.

Alan, very busy examining the gravel of the driveway, began to unload the Lexus. Caroline started over, but Eleanor beat her to it. She grabbed the elder Dawson's bags, and handed them to Caroline.

"You were just?" Eleanor prompted Celia. "Running down your host's home? It was a rather intimidating place to be a child. But it's a good thing for your daughter I muddled through, isn't it?"

A stern, chill breeze rippled past them. Celia adjusted her scarf, cleared her throat, and looked to Alan, who shrugged. She turned to Caroline –

"Oh don't look at me Mum. You're the one who threw the glove." This weekend was starting off spectacularly. She couldn't wait to throw Margaret into the mix.

Celia's thin lips stretched upward, her approximation of good humor when she felt bested, yet still somehow superior. It was a particular trick of hers Caroline hoped she hadn't adopted. "Well, Eleanor. I suppose, it's a lovely place. Thank you for inviting us."

"You're very welcome. I know you'll be comfortable, but I really hope you'll also enjoy it here." She bowed a little toward Celia, then to Alan.

"I just bet we will. Thank you. Can't wait to get to it." He stepped forward, took Celia's arm, and led her quickly past any lingering danger.

Caroline waited as long as she could before she began to laugh. Eleanor appeared less amused, but for the most part unruffled. Still – Caroline joined her at the back of the SUV.

"You alright? Sorry about Mum."

"You have nothing to apologize for. Don't set the precedent, or we'll each say nothing to the other this entire weekend except 'I'm sorry.'"

"You're right about that."

Arms loaded with remaining baggage, they exchanged a final good luck kiss and headed into the guest house.

* * *

Caroline sat quietly on the couch with Flora reading "We Are in a Book!" for the sixth time through that afternoon while Lily, in an adjacent armchair, was consumed by Bartimaeus the djinn.

Alan and Celia emerged refreshed from the master suite after an afternoon cat nap. As they did, Eleanor emptied her tea mug into the kitchen sink and stacked it. She came around the counter to stand behind Caroline on the couch. "Come up for dinner whenever you'd like. I think Dad mentioned the roast coming out around seven, but there are always cocktails to fill the void."

"Very good then. Looking forward to it, aren't we, Celia?" Alan nudged her side.

"Yes. We certainly are."

"Good. I know Jonathan and Bella are up there as well somewhere, and I know they're looking forward to seeing you again, both of you."

"Well I like that Bella. I'm sure she'll find a way to keep us in good humor." Another affirmation from Alan and a mildly convincing chime of support from Celia.

"Alright then – off we go!" Caroline plucked up Flora, who waved at Celia and Alan on the way out, giggling. She hitched Flora up and offered her free hand to Eleanor, who grasped it firmly as they walked the short driveway to the Jeep.

Lily was already sitting behind the driver's seat. Caroline clicked Flora in and regarded her sternly.

Eleanor stood on the passenger side, with arms crossed and a barely concealed grin.

Lily batted her eyes. "Cool, right Caroline?"

Caroline studied Lily then glanced over to Eleanor and smiled. "Mmmm hmmmm. Cool." She walked around the front of the Jeep and sat in the back next to Flora, skeptical eyes on Lily the whole time.

"Excellent." Lily turned the key and pulled away toward the main house.

* * *

"Oh Margaret, you big pussycat you." Bella finished her highball and shook her empty glass at her husband Jonathan, who did not move from his spot leaning on the bar, but instead responded with a look of non-compliant indulgence.

Caroline chuckled to herself as Bella, in every way larger than life, flowed over Margaret's cool regard.

Alan and Celia sat silently on a sofa in the Strathclyde drawing room. They'd been quiet. Adjacent to them on a loveseat, Caroline assumed that as she had on her first visit, they were quite consumed absorbing the ambiance and the cast of characters executing the steps of what seemed to be a very familiar dance. Alan leaned over and whispered in to Caroline, "I can't tell if they're actually having fun, or if they even like each other."

She whispered back, "I don't think they can either."

George, Eleanor's father, emerged from behind the bar with a refill for Bella, and exchanged her glass.

"Thank you dear." She winked at him, then tipped the glass at Margaret.

Jonathan wandered toward Caroline and Eleanor. "Now. Down to business. What's the plan, lovebirds?"

Celia wrinkled her nose. Caroline didn't miss it - and as she looked up over the rim of her glass, she noticed Margaret's angular head tilt to the side, sharply, toward her mother.

Eleanor's attention had stayed on Jonathan. "We have no clue. Ideas welcome."

"Well of course you'll do it all here. Nothing could make more sense." As Margaret spoke, George cast her an approving look. Both of Eleanor's parents seemed decided.

"All ideas but that one, Mother. I'm sorry." Eleanor stood and took Caroline's empty but un-offered glass from her hand and strolled to the bar.

"Well why ever not, Ellie?" George frowned.

Celia looked over to Caroline with a silent question. _'Do you have any say in any of this?'_ Caroline shook her head in subtle warning. _'It's handled.'_

Eleanor placed two low and wide glasses on the bar. She dropped a sugar cube in each and liberally dashed citrus bitters over them. She uncorked the scotch and poured it with a heavy hand, swirled the glasses, added an oversized cube of ice to each and gave one more swirl for good measure. Finally, she topped Caroline's with a deep burgundy stemless cherry from an unmarked jar. Still silent, she returned to the couch and offered the glass to Caroline, who took it with a bemused glance.

Eleanor turned her attention back to George. "Because if we have it here, it will cease to have anything to do with me and Caroline, and will have everything to do with mother, her friends, money, and things I don't care about."

"Ah. Well." George finished his drink in one swallow. He rattled the ice in his empty glass, and stared into it.

"Eleanor you're absolutely right. Couldn't have said it better myself." Another enthusiastic proclamation from Bella, apparently directed at no one in particular.

Margaret remained silent. Caroline had come to expect it would be followed shortly with very well-executed response. On the other hand, there was every chance that response might be delayed, or belayed all together, if the conversation moved on quickly enough. "And what is it I'm drinking? It's fantastic - but quite strong."

Eleanor smiled over. "A scotch old fashioned." She looked up to George, who had come to stand next to Margaret, perched in a giant scarlet armchair. He laid a large and affectionate hand on Margaret's slim shoulder. Eleanor continued. "I learned the art from the very best."

Bella laughed, raised her own glass at Caroline. "Be thankful she didn't pour you a McQueen. We Strathclydes reserve those for only the most desperately awkward of moments."

George's warm eyes shot over to Bella before he turned them back to Eleanor. "Well I'm sure that you're more than capable of keeping your mother in check, Ellie. And a spring wedding here would be wonderful." It seemed George was rather persistent when he wanted something. "You're still my little girl to be pampered and adored on her wedding day."

Margaret arched her brow. "And it needn't be anything like last time, Eleanor."

The previous animation in the room stilled. There it was. Caroline's stratagem had been predictably but stunningly ineffective. She resisted the urge to take Eleanor's hand.

Instead, she spoke. "I don't think there's much of anything that needs to be like Eleanor's previous marriage, Margaret. I'm sure that even you have managed to gain some perspective on all that."

Jonathan smirked behind his glass, and Bella raised hers to drink. Celia smiled and Alan's eyes grew wide as no one paid them particular attention.

Margaret's own eyes widened just a little, but enough for Caroline to notice. Then, she reclined in her chair and chuckled. "On that we can certainly agree, Caroline."

The massive drawing room itself seemed to exhale. Bella laughed, turned to Celia and Alan and started up a conversation about their decision to buy a sporty red convertible. Apparently, she was quite jealous. Momentarily Lily came through from the sitting room adjacent, book in hand. "I'm absolutely starving. Are you people done yet so we can eat?"

Margaret smiled at her, and rose. "Of course dear."

The assembled company followed suit and made their way into the dining room.

* * *

Margaret stepped into the easy silence that had come over the table after a large and very rich dinner. She folded her napkin neatly and laid it on the table.

"I have something for you, Eleanor. I think we can leave the masses here to their own devices, if you'll come with me."

Everyone but George looked over. He looked up at Margaret with practiced but very a genuine love and, Caroline thought, a touch of pride. He crinkled his brown eyes and smiled.

Eleanor ducked her head and leaned over to kiss Caroline on the cheek. "See you for bed." She stood and nodded to the rest of the table and murmured 'goodnights', as did Margaret, and they walked side by side down the length of the giant mahogany table and out of the dining room.

George stood and smiled broadly. "Cards and cordials, then? Or Cordials and politics? I leave it to you all to decide."

Bella pushed her chair back. "Booze and a reprise of prime minister's questions. I think that always makes for a good time on a Friday night. Without Margaret to lecture and roll her eyes and carry water for Theresa, we'll have even more fun."

Caroline chuckled. "Well Mum can certainly stand in for her."

"Oh lord, Caroline. You never miss a trick, do you?"

"Nope."

Jonathan followed Bella's lead as she walked toward the door opposite Eleanor and Margaret's departure. Lily had long ago dismissed herself, and on occasion a note from the piano could be heard through the thick walls and draperies of the home. Caroline stood and helped Celia out of her chair, and Alan wandered over to chat with George as they all dismissed themselves for the evening.

* * *

"You gave this back to me, a long time ago Eleanor. And now I'm giving it back to you." Margaret took Eleanor's hand. She turned it palm up and placed a ring in it. She held Eleanor's hand in both of hers and closed her fingers around the ring. She began to speak over the objections covering Eleanor's face.

"I remember it clearly. You setting it on the wooden table in the kitchen as we worked. You took it off because we were kneading a very wet, sticky dough, for sourdough loaves we were doing for the Cayton library, for the bake sale. You set it on the counter without thinking, and then you looked at it. You glowered at it. And you told me to take it. That you were 'done with the goddamn thing, and with marriage altogether, for that matter.'"

Eleanor's response stilled on her lips as she watched the memory play in her mother's eyes.

"It broke my heart. Not just the failure of your marriage to Emma – but you giving up on marriage. It has its drawbacks, certainly. Nothing we create is perfect. Because we are inherently flawed creatures, humans. But marriage can be a solid foundation for a very good life. And to see you turn your back on all of it, when you were still so young..."

Margaret's default distant and pleasant expression became genuine and pained as she turned the intensity of her gaze directly toward her only daughter. "I didn't like the idea of you quitting at anything. And I wanted more for you."

Eleanor opened her hand to look with suspicion at the golden ring in question. It had been a decade since she'd worn it, but that made it no less familiar. It had been – it was - the wedding band worn every other generation by an Eleanor Strathclyde for the past two hundred years.

"I don't care what you do with it. I don't care if you wear it, or you give it to Caroline, or if you put it in a drawer somewhere. But I want you to have it and I want you to own it. It's not the ring I want you to take back, Eleanor. It's marriage. The idea that you can commit yourself to someone. And as your mother, I suppose what I really care about is that they will commit themselves to you. And that you'll trust that, and use that trust to build the kind of life I've always wanted for you."

Eleanor tightened her fist, nodding. "Okay mother."

Margaret's smile in return was as welcoming, as comforting, as Eleanor had remembered it could be, touching her eyes and melting the edifice she usually wore. Reshaping it into a form Eleanor had known so well, very long ago.

She stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. Margaret didn't falter in her response – she pulled Eleanor to her hard, and held her tightly.

* * *

"All in all, darling, I call tonight a win." Caroline turned and looked around once, twice, in an attempt to remember where to find the closet among the wall panels that all seemed to be the same.

Eleanor lay tucked into bed, propped on pillows and an arm dramatically draped over her forehead, which she languidly lifted, pointed over Caroline's left shoulder, and replaced over her eyes.

"Ah." Caroline smiled brightly and put her black cocktail dress on a padded hanger. Now just in matching black lingerie, she removed her pearl necklace as she walked toward the en suite. Still silent, Eleanor shifted her melodramatic forearm minutely to follow her progress with her eyes.

Caroline surveyed the cold marble landscape and quickly washed her face and removed her makeup, 'I know I tend toward the tidy, but how do you settle in here comfortably at all?' before hurrying back into the room and the warmth of the deep pile carpet. Still large, the guest cottage was much less like the main house. Downright contemporary in comparison to the foreboding history woven into every beam of the larger building.

She tucked her bra into the dresser and donned a thermal, pulled back the massive and fluffy duvet and with some effort and climbed up to slide in next to Eleanor, who was fully pajama'd. "You're no more asleep than I am."

"I'm not. And I don't know if I'll take 'win.' But I'll take draw." Eleanor abandoned her repose and wiggled down to snuggle up under Caroline's arm. "Celia and Alan seem to have recovered themselves nicely. Daddy and Alan will certainly enjoy birding tomorrow, if the weather's fine. If not they'll hole up in a pub and pretend they've done something productive and serious."

Caroline smiled. "Are you ready for your birthday?"

"I'm ready for my cake. I suppose I'm frustrated with Mum, still, but that's perpetual. And I'll never turn down her devil's food, no matter what else she's done. And I really do think she's trying."

"If your favorite cake's being served, then I'm more than ready for tea tomorrow. No matter how many claws come out."

"Try not to salivate directly on me while the entire family's in the room, darling."

"Let's get all the salivating out of the way now, and we won't have to worry about it."

Eleanor gave her a playful swat. "I still can't help but feel I'm rubbing off on you, sometimes."

Caroline didn't want to pile lectures on Eleanor tonight, but she couldn't let this go. "If that's true, I'm better for it. I want you to hear that, alright? Once and for all. I love you. And, I mean, I love all of you. You love modern art, and I hate it. You have a nasty sweet tooth that I want no part of. You pretend to be arrogant and are anything but. You're entirely made of music and I still don't understand the difference between the black keys and the white keys, and I don't think I ever will."

Eleanor's lips had begun to twitch, and she playfully snugged herself further into Caroline. "You may continue."

"I will. I love looking at that horrid 'art' with you and seeing it through your eyes. And if you want to bake me a dozen scones every day for the next fifty years I'll eat them all. And at least now there's more than one person in my house who other people can call a snotty bitch."

Eleanor came up on to her elbow and then finally up fully to rest on Caroline's chest.

Caroline relaxed under her weight and smiled back. "And as long as you sing to me, I'll be happy. Are we clear, here, on all that?

"Perfectly."


	12. Chapter 12

"Eleanor never mentioned you being so small minded, Celia." Margaret did not turn her attention from the game board.

"I beg your pardon?" Celia looked up abruptly from the intense study of her tiles.

"It's perfectly fine if you're content to malign what you consider your daughter's inferior morals. But in my home you'll be speak nothing but highly of Eleanor's." Margaret laid out "SHOUTING" on the game board. "Triple letter score on 'U' and double word score… brings us to – 44."

Celia's recently soured expression became one of absolute consternation as she stared blankly at the woman opposite her, who appeared to be almost disengaged with the entire exchange. "My objection to Caroline's lifestyle has nothing to do with morals."

"With what exactly does it have to do then?" Margaret's dark eyes, intense as a magpie's studying the grass, fixed on Celia's soft ocean blue.

"Well." Celia placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward, emphasizing her point. "I'm not convinced it's really Caroline, this lesbian business. Or that it will make her happy, that's all. And what I am most concerned with is Caroline's happiness."

Satisfied with herself and her answer, she returned her attentions to the game board and a pleasant expression came back over her as she spotted her next play.

"Ah." Margaret picked up her tea cup and studied the winter snow as it fell outside the vast windows paneling one entire wall of the library. "Is it the 'lesbian business' you consider as an impediment to Caroline's happiness, or my daughter specifically?"

'If your daughter's to become anything at all like you in her future, it's her for certain I'm worried about.' Celia frowned again and laid out her own tiles – YOUNG. "Now then. That's double letter on Y and triple word for… let's see then," now she looked up with a very sincere smile, "gives us 69." She blinked and looked away to make a note on her score pad.

"Well done." Margaret smiled demurely but did not move to continue the game or the conversation.

"We're of an age, you and I, Margaret, and I wager other certain similar persuasions. Surely you can't say it makes you entirely… comfortable." Celia wrinkled her nose.

"If I ever thought comfort had anything at all to do with life – or good manners - I was dispelled of that notion long ago." Margaret tucked an errant strand of fine, chin-length golden blond hair behind her ear as she set her tea cup down and leaned over the game board.

'It's hardly good manners to badger your guests over board games.' Celia sat back and crossed her arms, giving up the notion that either one of them was focused on letter scores.

"Well I certainly wasn't raised with all this." Celia gestured grandly around the room. "But I was always taught that it was good manners to say what you mean outright, rather than hinting around at it and making snide insinuations."

Margaret looked up at Celia and smiled. "You're absolutely right. How rude of me." She sat back in her own chair, hands in her lap on her crossed legs. "What I meant to say is that I've been a very poor mother to Eleanor in many ways. One thing I have never, never done though, is to hurt her intentionally. When I've been selfish, which I have, it was never revealed to me ahead of time the extent of heartache it would cause."

She uncrossed her legs and picked up her tea cup and saucer, sipped, and re-crossed her legs as Celia frowned. "What I understand from Eleanor, in a roundabout way - because she's far too polite to speak ill of her future mother in law - is that in a devastating and petulant manner you withheld support from your daughter and her pregnant wife on their wedding day. Not for any substantive reason, but because you preferred to cling to an arcane societal structure that is proven more ridiculous and bigoted by the day."

"And I can't help but infer that you transfer your bigoted judgments on to my daughter. And I certainly won't have that." She set her tea cup down again. "Is that more along the straightforward line of address to which you're more accustomed?"

* * *

"Have you seen my mother?" Eleanor looked up from rolling her pastry as Caroline and Flora came through into the kitchen. "She was – is – supposed to be helping me. And I can't find Lily anywhere, who is also supposed to be on duty."

Caroline skirted Eleanor and the wide work table. She nicked a biscuit cooling on the rack, earning a murderous frown - until she handed it to Flora, at which point the frown was replaced by an indulgent smile.

Caroline looked down at her satisfied customer.

"Thank you mummy."

"You're quite welcome."

She looked back up, and her face became serious in an attempt at recollection. "I haven't seen your Mum. But I did hear Lily playing the piano upstairs."

"It's her favorite part of being here. She'll be at it all day." Eleanor's smile widened.

Caroline grabbed another biscuit and took a bite, prompting Eleanor to raise her rolling pin.

"Up."

Caroline looked back down at Flora, who had nearly finished her cookie, arms raised. She plucked her up and set her on the counter, meeting Flora's eyes as they both made a huge exaggeration at each other of munching their remaining biscuits.

She returned her attention to Eleanor. She wasn't nearly covered in flour, but she had enough here and there to make her appearance a touch comical, and more than a touch endearing.

Caroline frowned. "Come to think of it, I heard my Mum mention a Scrabble match with your Mum earlier this morning – they must have gone and started it."

Eleanor's eye's widened. She worked up the edges of the circle of dough carefully with her fingers and flipped it.

Caroline leaned over the worktop toward Eleanor as Flora banged happily and gently on her back with a measuring cup she'd discovered. "Yes. I'm a little curious too – how that will turn out."

Eleanor's expression smoothed. "Well I'm sure it will be fine, actually. The only thing Mum hates more than losing is beating an 'unworthy' opponent. And I've yet to even come close to besting Celia at Scrabble."

"I have. Two years ago this Christmas." Caroline watched Eleanor work at the dough. Long smooth, and confident strokes forward, mysteriously perfecting the circle easily with just an extra roll or touch. "And it's only gotten worse, since she started working puzzles in earnest. She's convinced it's going to spare her from the nut house, as she puts it."

Eleanor winced, ostensibly at Celia's characterization of her own mental status as she picked up the last of her circles and wrapped it neatly in cellophane. "I'm sure they're getting on famously, then. And Mum's already finished my cake."

* * *

Celia was quiet. She fussed with her tiles, and in time drank from her own tea. She regarded Margaret sternly, but not without amusement. "This dressing down on consideration for others from the woman who attempted – unsuccessfully, I might add - to use my grandson's heartache as a weapon to try and humiliate my Caroline?" Her expression and her tone became drier by the word. "Your tender heart's a rather hard sell, I'm afraid." She finished with smug disbelief.

"I was quite unconvinced up to that point that Caroline was in any way a good match for Eleanor."

"And would you have skipped out on their wedding, then, in your disapproval?"

Margaret inclined her tea cup to Celia. "I take your point." She narrowed her eyes and smiled again. "But of course not. I would have been there with bells on. Keep your friends close, I always like to say."

Celia settled more comfortably further back in her chair. "And your enemies closer? Is that what Caroline is to you then, an enemy? Because if she is I'm quite concerned for her happiness." Celia pulled her cardigan tighter. "Not that she can't hold her own. I think you've discovered that quite well for yourself."

"I've think I could grow very fond of Caroline, actually. And even more fond of the way Eleanor looks at her. But I labored under false assumptions about Eleanor's ex-wife for many years. I gave her more credit than I should have. And I don't like to make the same mistake twice."

Celia picked up a biscuit and took a bite, followed it with another sip of tea, all under Margaret's silent regard. "Well are you quite done making your decisions and your judgements then, about us, the Dawson women?"

"Tell me Celia." Margaret crossed her arms and her legs as she sat back in her chair. "Will we have the pleasure of your company at my daughter's wedding?"

Celia finished her biscuit, rubbed her hands together briskly, freeing them of any residual crumbs. She folded her hands in her lap and looked away with a distant expression, out the massive mullioned windows, framed by blue velvet curtains that must each weigh more than she did. It was snowing still, just lightly.

She thought about Alan and his disappointment in her. Caroline and her hurt and her harsh words. Kate - who really had been quite lovely and had certainly deserved better all around. Finally, she looked back at Margaret and considered the smug, self-satisfied expression on the woman's face, and her decision was made.

"I don't see why not."

"Delightful." Margaret sat forward and smiled. "Isn't it rather easy to let go of prejudices, when you're properly motivated?"

Celia returned her attention to her Scrabble board, and after a moment, spoke again. "Would you say, Margaret, that Eleanor favors you or George?"

"Oh she's George through and through." Margaret waved up from her tiles blandly.

"Good. Then I'm sure she and I will continue to get on just fine."

Margaret scanned the game board and her score sheet, and now her look was light as her smile touched her eyes. "You've beaten me quite thoroughly, Celia. I suppose we could go to the bitter end, but it would be of no use."

There was satisfaction all over Celia's face as she also studied the board. "Yes. Well and good. But I will say I actually had to work for it. I'm quite used to winning, and it was refreshing to have someone make a real go of it. Alan and Caroline are useless."

Margaret looked at her shrewdly as Celia collected her tiles. "One and one then on the board. Another round?"

"Absolutely. And I don't care what anyone else says about you Margaret. I like you just fine." Celia smiled warmly.

* * *

"Well you've made it, Caroline. A full weekend with the entire Strathclyde clan. And you look like you're not really all that banged up."

"Thank you, Lily. I think." Caroline caught her eye in the rear view on the way back to Harrogate.

"Sure." She nodded, jet black hair falling into her eyes, and returned to her phone. Always her own personal DJ and nearly always with earbuds in place.

Eleanor glanced over at her. "And Celia and Alan seemed to have had a - decent time. This bodes well for us. Or at least not poorly."

"Thank you again - I think." Caroline's brow furrowed at the tentatively encouraging missives from mother and daughter as the Jeep flew down the motorway.

The Decemeber rain was turning the late afternoon dark already, gunmetal sky matching the Jeep in color. Caroline flipped on the headlights and they continued in fatigued quiet. Flora's residual energy from the bustle of departure had worn off and her head had long ago tilted back against the car seat. Currently her mouth was wide open but her expression was more serious than serene. Caroline looked at her and smiled. Eleanor had often accused her of working out complex chemical equations or the mysteries of dark matter as she slept, as her face was apparently often set in a scowl.

"Penny?"

Caroline looked back at the road from Flora and then quickly over to Eleanor, and spoke quietly. "It never changes, does it, the feeling you get when you seem them as a miniaturized version of yourself?"

Eleanor spared a darting glance back at Lily through the rear view. "It doesn't."


	13. Chapter 13

Eleanor's birthday launched the holiday season in earnest. Caroline couldn't help but feel carried on a wave of momentum as her world began settling in around her. The festive blur of Christmas marked but not defined by omnipresent twinkling lights, celebration, family, and good spirit. Her good feeling started as a small, perpetual smile, and grew into an overwhelming feeling of contentment as the month passed. Good spirit wasn't always what strangers might conjure up as a first impression of Caroline, but it was certainly in her, and something that this new season of her life evoked more and more often. Her world now felt less like a shaken snow globe - more like the calm and peaceful village scene at the center of it.

As they always do, the pages quickly fell from the calendar. And as they did, Caroline realized that their passing didn't provoke an anxiety of the rushing year, or a sense that time was slipping through her fingers.

Flora grew taller and chattier every day, more defined as Flora every day, but it wasn't with sadness that she watched her childhood pass. It was instead with anticipation of who she was becoming, the ways she enriched the entire family as she grew as an ever more vibrant thread in their tapestry. She began to understand and enjoy Eleanor's influence on Flora and see it take shape as they spent more and more time together. Eleanor stepped more and more confidently into the role of Flora's mother, less often glancing at Caroline for approval when Flora's behavior or words demanded a course correction.

Family and friends came and went through parties and dinners and festive excursions, but the parting and the understanding of the brevity of the encounter, the suspicion that perhaps once or twice a year might always define these exchanges didn't sadden her. Rather she began to regard each of the times as the gift they were - for the joy they brought her at the moment and without the expectation that it must be repeated simply for the sake of it. These friends and distant family members who dropped in and out at the time of year she most longed for connection were simply happiness in and of themselves.

More than once during December Caroline looked around her glowing dining room and realized that her life had expanded beyond what her small table could accommodate. A setting for five would no longer do, even most weeknights. Even without the Halifax crew a simple dinner might include any number of smiling additions. Greg and Jenny staying when they dropped Flora off, Alan and Celia popping in and Eleanor and Lily setting extra plates because Lawrence happened to be by as well. Friday nights with Jane and Zoe, and on occasion Meg and Jill. When Gillian and Robbie did join, the volume eventually became a gentle, warm roar, and if Raff and Ellie were there with Calamity the house practically shook.

William had returned from Tel Aviv and from Oxford a man. No two ways about it - soft features hardened and carriage completely certain. He moved in the world still with quiet and grace, but now with that air of certitude that had been absent before. Caroline marked the change in him most of all.

Less than Flora's growth spurts, watching her boys become men left her feeling her years. It was quite one thing to experience leaps and bounds in her tiny girl's cognition and experience of the world, to grow with her as she saw things in new ways and for the first time still on a daily basis. But to watch the story of life begin to etch on the faces of her young men and become indelible was another matter entirely. To understand that she had traveled with these two their entire journey, now residing with them in adulthood and seeing them always as her boys – but now also as peers in the vast stretch of life that marked maturity, forced a perspective she couldn't deny.

Alan and Celia made her frown and smile just as often now, as their own years began to show in a slowing, though not a dimming. Caroline looked back at their recent start, and also forward to what their love promised each other in the time that remained.

In doing so she felt beyond lucky to have found Eleanor so soon. Lucky that their story had decades of chapters to be written, lucky that it would not be her epilogue to find joy and companionship, but rather become a part of the fullness of her entire story. Lucky that John would not be the defining relationship in her life, but more a false start to be understood and eventually considered with a rueful smile. Lucky that Kate had been there when she had needed her the most. Saved from perhaps dwelling endlessly in the disaster of her first marriage and transformed into a woman who was more than ready to make a fairy tale ending of her third.

As the New Year approached all of these pieces of her life began to coalesce, she felt a setting in place. But alongside it she felt that perhaps a change was necessary. Her entire world had expanded and it was time to consider growing with it, to consider being the person who had the capacity to not only understand this much joy, but to be someone who was responsible for multiplying it and living without fear in that happiness. She was not the Caroline Elliott of only a few years past. And an endless string of surnames wasn't what she wanted defining her relationship to the people who most influenced her life as those names piled up.

The close of the holidays and the turn of the calendar was always intended to bring change and renewal. Caroline considered that given the solid structure of her life, the presence of more than a dozen new and old family members, it might finally feel safe to explore a home that better reflected this new structure. A home that embraced the changes in her and in her world that were good. Changes that made her feel safe, rather than anxious. Changes that made her curious, not tentative. Changes that made her more fully open to love, rather than guarding against potential hurt.

With her feet feeling so firmly planted on the ground, she decided it might to be fun to simply explore her world, and new ways of living in it. As the final page of the calendar fell, and she opened her eyes to the grey dawn of another brand new January, Caroline rolled over to face Eleanor and declared it an excellent day to begin looking for a home to share.

* * *

" _Oh my god._ Caroline." Eleanor leaned her head back and closed her eyes in ecstasy and was silent for a moment. "When was the last time you had full-fat yogurt? I know we're meant to rush this morning and get on to house hunting, but I've got to savor this."

"I don't think I know, off the top of my head. But if the look on your face is any indication of what I've been missing, it's been far too long." Caroline snickered at Eleanor, across the kitchen counter.

"It's not just all the flavor, it's everything. The texture. The richness. The density. Oh my god." Eleanor took another spoonful and pulled it slowly upside down through her lips. "Amazing." She shook her head. "I've been completely wasting my mornings for years. And for what?"

"Hmmm. Let me see if I can recall this phrasing exactly. I think I can, because you've asked me to do this on several occasions." Caroline cast her eyes to the ceiling. She set her face to look as much as Eleanor's as she could muster and lowered her voice in a fairly close imitation - _"'It's your job to keep me on the straight and narrow, Caroline.'"_

"When did you start listening to me?"

"I always listen to you. I just don't always agree. And look - if you want to have regular yogurt once in a while, for god's sake woman, do it." Caroline put her hands on her hips and shook her head.

"You'll still love me if I lose my girlish figure?" Eleanor's tone was mocking, but her expression belied a vulnerability in the question as she recycled the now empty container. She hadn't _quite_ licked it clean.

Caroline stopped short of tossing off a rote and affirming answer. "Are you happy with who you are? I mean, are you happy with yourself as you are now, and back when we started dating, as well?"

Eleanor paused from wiping down Flora's booster chair, its owner long gone to the adjacent living room to forge new horizons for Thomas and friends with an ever expanding track. It had begun to cover most of the living room floor, which was now difficult to navigate.

She didn't look at Caroline, but stood straight and placed the back of her hand on her hip. Her brow wrinkled.

"Yes." She resumed the wipe down, but her attention was on Caroline. "I am."

"Then I couldn't care less about your figure, unless you care about it. Unless it's something that makes you happy, some part of you that's inextricable. Because I think that I love you most when you're happy with yourself, no matter what else is going on." Caroline hoped that she'd answered the question in a way that would mean something.

Eleanor nodded at her on her way to the kitchen sink to rinse out the dishcloth. She wrung it thoroughly and draped it over the faucet, pausing to look out the window at the morning sun rising to the left, beams of light falling over the winter-bare vines covering the bricks of the garden wall.

She leaned her hip on the counter as she turned back around, eyes consuming Caroline. "I want you to remind me of something else, on occasion."

"And that is?"

"The fact that right next to my two perfect daughters, you are the woman I love more than anyone else on this planet." With this, Eleanor stepped forward and backed Caroline up to the counter, kissing her as though the very last bit of oxygen in the room could be found only in Caroline's lungs.

Caroline smiled against her and couldn't think about stopping them, at least for the moment. She moved her hands to Eleanor's hips and pulled them firmly into her own.

Eleanor snuck her hands under Caroline's shirt and cardigan, palms at her waist, wrapping them around her and running her thumbs over her stomach, still kissing her as though they were headed straight to the bedroom – or to the floor.

Lily breezed in, hand up at the side of her face shielding her eyes, headed directly for the fridge. "Okay seriously, you guys. Please." She opened the fridge door and stuck her head in. "I'm all for gay marriage, but you don't have to throw it in my face."

Caroline covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she turned away from Eleanor and her teenage daughter, smiling at the mockingly homophobic joke, but still beginning to blush from her roots.

Eleanor cleared her throat, tossed her hair back, and smoothed her shirt. "I'm sure you're scarred for life."

Lily rolled her eyes as she grabbed the string cheese and apple she'd been seeking, closed the door and leaned against it. "No. I was scarred for life when I caught you two arguing over who got the corner of the couch because it was more comfortable if you feel asleep watching reruns of Dr. Who. If that's what it means to be fifty on a Friday night, kill me now."

Eleanor stared and Caroline began to shake with laughter as Lily waved and headed straight back upstairs, quickly glancing over and smiling at Flora.

Hand on her stomach, Caroline caught her breath as she stood next to Eleanor. "Oh but she's just you all over, isn't she?"

"I have no idea what you mean." Eleanor turned again to Caroline, fire back in her eyes and recovering quickly from any embarrassment. Once she got going it was hard to stall Eleanor's engine. "And I was in the middle of something."

Caroline smiled as Eleanor advanced. "What do you want to do more – me, or houses?"

"Why is that a zero sum equation?"

"Because I still haven't mastered those theoretical physics of time travel."

Eleanor's face fell and she pouted, still moving Caroline slowly backward with her body and her eyes. "It's been five days, Caroline. Five." She held up her hand, fingers spread wide, in illustration.

"I'm glad you're keeping count." Caroline laughed. "I think we have the house all to ourselves on Tuesday. Not that you seem to have hang-ups about that." Now Caroline placed a finger on Eleanor's sternum and reversed their course through the kitchen.

"If you make me wait for you until Tuesday, we're going to have real problems."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Meaning?"

"Lily introduced me to Aretha Franklin. And I'd like to quote her as saying, with an appropriate pronoun swap, 'If you want a do-right all day woman, you gotta be a do right all night – woman." Eleanor made a menacing face and tilted her head to the side, chin out and all business.

"Mmmmmmm. I see." Caroline nodded. "All night then. I'll hold you to that." She smiled and stepped around Eleanor. "We've an appointment to see a house in half an hour. I'll get Flora if you'll finish the breakfast dishes."

Eleanor turned to watch Caroline walk away. "You think you're quite clever, don't you?"

"Yep."

"I think you're going to be quite sorry, Caroline Dawson. And soon."

"I hope that's not just an idle threat." Her voice tapered off as she turned into the living room to collect Flora.

Eleanor turned to the kitchen sink to finish the dishes, and called out over her shoulder. "I don't make idle threats."


	14. Chapter 14

"Well hey there ladies." The dark-haired man tripped on the curb outside the first house they were scheduled to see that morning, but confidently stepped forward and offered Caroline his hand. "So you're the gorgeous blond this one's been keeping all to herself." He cocked a thumb at Eleanor as he spoke. His tone and broad, silly smile somehow transformed his words, less slimy than they were self-effacing and ingratiating.

"I'm Phil Dunleavy. And are we going to have a great time together, or what? Are you ready to walk into the house of your dreams?" He looked between them expectantly and gestured grandly to the squat architectural amalgam behind him.

Caroline darted her eyes to Eleanor. "A word, darling?" She held a finger up to Phil. "Just give us a moment, please."

"Take all the time you need there. I'll be waiting." He smiled and pointed his index finger at her.

She turned and walked to the end of the drive in front of potential new home #1. Arms crossed, she did not speak as Eleanor came around to face her.

"He's the number one agent in Harrogate. I swear to you. I could not make this up, Caroline."

"I don't care if he's the bloody prince of Monaco, I am not spending the day looking at houses with that man. In that car.'" Hushed tone gradually rising, she gestured animatedly over to the black two-seater Porsche parked behind the Jeep.

"Well." Eleanor clasped her hands at her waist. "He says that it's fine if we want to drive, because it lets him focus more on us – the clients."

"It's fine? It's fine? It's bloody fine?" Caroline was actually at a loss for words.

"Yes. Fine. That's the word he's used, you've grasped the concept nicely."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Is this your payback, then?"

Eleanor smiled primly. "Oh no. When that comes around you won't have to ask."

She looked back over to Phil, to the house, and then to Eleanor. "One house."

Eleanor crossed her heart with her index finger. "He gets once chance."

"Fine." Caroline grabbed Eleanor's hand, turned on her heel and walked back up the drive.

"Everything right as rain then?" Another ingratiating smile.

"Yep. Right as rain Phil. Lead on." Caroline gave a bright smile and waved her arm at the house. "Now what's this I hear about laundry in the master suite? Because I think I have some reservations."

* * *

"So what do you think? Marble countertops, eh?" Phil moved to lean on the kitchen counter and instead placed his hand at the edge of a bowl of apples, tipping it and sending most of them rolling to the floor. "Oh. Ooops. Sorry about that. No harm no foul." He replaced most of them, plucked up a remaining apple and attempted to casually toss it in the air, but instead lost the trajectory and sent it toward Eleanor, who caught it first in the stomach and then with her hands.

She held it up with a patient smile and out toward him. "Apple a day."

He pointed at her and laughed. "Ahhh – I knew I liked you." He inclined his head to Caroline. "But this one's still warming up to me, if you catch my drift."

Eleanor made a pleasantly pained face and nodded at Phil's attempt at an inside joke. "So. New gas range, I believe."

"Only the very newest and the very finest!" He turned his attention to the range. "Let's fire this baby up and see what she can do!"

Caroline started forward. "Oh no. No need. I don't think that's necessary." She shot a terrified look over to Eleanor.

"Not necessary at all, Phil. We ummm – we – I have that exact range already. I'm completely familiar."

"Well okay then – but don't go around saying Phil Dunleavy's not up for a little hot home cooking.'"

"I certainly won't." Eleanor gave him her most indulgent Strathclyde smile.

"How about this pantry though, am I right?" He opened a door at the end of the countertop adjacent to the stove. Suddenly a very angry, very frightened, and very aggressive cat launched itself directly at his shins.

"Oh holy mother of peanut brittle. What the hell?!" He danced back and the cat growled at him before darting off to parts unknown. He glanced back over to Eleanor and then Caroline, still smiling, but through a pronounced wince as he laid a hand on his shin, spots of blood on his trousers. "Well that was certainly a surprise! But don't worry – I promise, Felix there doesn't come with the house."

The two women pretended to be extremely interested in the oversized pantry as Phil stepped back. "Just going to go ahead and preview that bathroom, see if – ahhh – there's enough toilet paper, you know, for showings."

Caroline nodded her head. "Mmmmm hmmmm."

Phil slunk off through the kitchen and down the hallway.

They looked at each other silently, and suddenly and simultaneously burst into hushed laughter.

"Okay. I'm sorry. I really am. We can switch agents immediately." Eleanor placed an apologetic hand on Caroline's shoulder.

"Now hold on. I think I'm actually starting to like him. This house and the terribly impractical marble countertops can go. But he can stay."

"Oh Caroline – no. Really?"

"Well he's a touch – odd." They almost began to giggle again. "But he knows his shit, Eleanor. That's plain as day."

Eleanor quit her laughing and looked at Caroline earnestly. "Well I know. That's why I chose him."

"Of course it is." Caroline was still grinning fiercely and she scanned Eleanor's face with bright blue eyes and ran her fingers slowly down a strand of her hair. "You're the savviest business woman I know, after all."

"Thank you. Your admission means a lot to me."

"Admission?"

"That you were wrong."

Caroline opened her mouth to retort as Phil came around the corner.

"Happy to report that the downstairs loo is in perfect working order."

"Good to know." Eleanor peeked around Caroline, still facing her with a bemused expression, and gave Phil a thumbs-up.

* * *

"So hey – no one scores the game winning goal the first time on the pitch. I can see you two have reservations." He pointed between them as they stood on the front lawn, eyes back and forth to either woman, who were very apparently unimpressed with this first effort. "But real estate's all about the long game! I promise we'll have you lovebirds nested before you can say escalation clause."

"We have plenty of time to wait for the right home." Caroline crossed her arms and did not look over to Eleanor.

"Well then you're my new happiest clients… because have I got the house for you!" He shook a finger at them, expression excited and sly. "It's not on the market yet, so we can't look at it today. But I give you my personal guarantee it is going to knock your socks off!"

"I'll keep my socks, thank you. But I'm sure if you recommend it we'll be very interested." Caroline allowed her own tone to become conspiratorial. She tilted her head jauntily and smiled over in self-satisfaction to Eleanor.

Eleanor closed her eyes and subtly shook her head.

"Okay then. I know you said you want time alone to discuss. So I'll meet you at the next place. And I know you're going to love it. You don't have to buy it, but you do have to love it!'

"Yes, Phil. We're all about love." Caroline placed a hand at the small of Eleanor's back and pushed her forward toward the car.

Eleanor held up a hand and waggled her fingers at him. "See you there."

* * *

"Now. I know it doesn't have a lot of curb appeal. But Caroline – Eleanor." He met their eyes and pointed between them with emphasis. "I don't think you're the kind of people to judge a book by its cover."

Out of ways to respond, they nodded silently.

He smiled and rubbed his hands together. "All right then – let's do this!"

Eleanor and Caroline locked eyes and clasped hands and followed Phil into what seemed to be undesirable house #2.

* * *

"Laundry in the master. This is it happy home hunters. Voila!" Phil pulled back the door to a large walk-in closet, which promptly fell off one of the hinges. He caught it poorly and fell back against the adjacent wall. He recovered immediately with a smile and leaned the door on the wall. "Ha ha! Not complete without a quirk or two. And we can always negotiate!"

He turned his attention back to the washer and dryer in the closet. "Right here on the main hallway, just down from your cozy master suite and easy access from anywhere in the house. The magic of the future." He waved his hands dramatically at the mismatched appliances.

"Oooooh." Eleanor put on a serious face and nodded.

Caroline turned around and began to walk away. "Excuse me just a moment, I think I need to sneeze." Caroline, her shoulders shaking, cleared her throat and appeared to wipe her eyes. She stood straighter and put her shoulders back before turning back to Phil. "All set. What's next?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Because what I'm about to show you will blow your minds." He started down the hallway.

Caroline's eyes widened and she almost appeared to choke. Eleanor coughed. "Can't wait, Phil."

"Follow me," he turned back to them, "to paradise."

Eleanor squeezed Caroline's hand tightly, almost until it hurt, before loosening the pressure.

Caroline leaned into her shoulder with a whisper. "Thank you."

They followed Phil into the master suite.

Eleanor squeezed Caroline's hand again, this time involuntarily. "Phil – this is amazing."

"What did I tell you?!" He pumped his fist in the air a couple times and smiled over, nodding.

Caroline and Eleanor exchanged wide-eyed looks of amazement. The bedroom was floor to ceiling windows on three sides. It wasn't immediately apparent from the front, but you could imagine the view from the bedroom, if the house had been laid out correctly, and it had.

Bounded on two sides by evergreens, the room looked over a long v-shaped valley that sloped gently down and then back up to rolling green hills.

Eleanor turned to Caroline. "This."

Caroline smiled in contentment at Eleanor's unconstrained enthusiasm.

Phil pointed with both hands at them, index fingers out. "What did I tell you, huh? Phil always knows best."

They ignored him and walked further in to the room, lost in their exploration. Eleanor in awe towards the windows, and Caroline toward the en suite.

Phil's phone rang, 'Eye of the Tiger.' He made an overly-embarrassed face and held up his finger as he snuck out of the room. "Hi sweetie."

Both women still ignored him. Caroline had already disappeared into the en suite.

Eleanor watched Phil leave, and followed her. She walked in and closed the door behind her – and turned the lock.

Caroline faced her, curious and frowning. "Elean – "

Eleanor put a finger to her lips and shook her head, wavy auburn hair swinging back and forth.

Caroline appraised her. _'Is she serious?'_ She contemplated and weighed the possibilities, already incredibly uncomfortable. _'She can't be serious.'_ She started forward to call Eleanor's bluff.

Eleanor met her halfway across the floor. She grabbed the front of Caroline's shirt and pulled her forward abruptly with a sly grin before she kissed her, pent up frustration becoming obvious. Caroline gave up any illusions that this wasn't going to end in an incredibly embarrassing manner. Though as Eleanor's hands wandered freely, she started to stop caring and began smiling and kissing her back in earnest, a hand dropping to Eleanor's chest and a hand under her cardigan and resting on her waist. She dropped her other hand to unbutton Caroline's jeans. She released Caroline's neck and slid a hand up under her shirt. She skimmed her fingers slowly and lightly upward until Caroline took a sharp breath in, and then rested her palm and lingered.

She whispered and smiled against Caroline's ear, "You know I loathe shortchanging you. But we're in a hurry," finishing the sentiment with a quick nip.

Caroline exhaled and nodded, eyes closed and ever less present in her surroundings as Eleanor became more aggressive. Reminding herself of something she'd thought about once in a bar, of making memories that turned into great stories. Even if they were just between the two of them.

Eleanor settled her against the vanity, one hand now between Caroline's shoulder blades pulling her forward and the other beginning to leave her weak in the knees and grateful for Eleanor's arm around her.

"Hey my favorite clients in the whole world. Everything okay in there?" Phil's voice surprised them from the other side of the door.

Caroline's blue eyes flew open wide and she let out a silent choking laugh. Eleanor didn't stop, but did reluctantly pull her mouth away from Caroline's neck as she looked toward the door. "Just trying to fix a rather embarrassing rip in Caroline's jeans. Be right out."

"Oh. Oh. Um. Okay then – take your time. Get intimate with your new bathroom!"

Eleanor didn't miss a beat, with Caroline or with Phil, voice smooth and sweet as honey. "Oh we will."

She turned her mouth back to Caroline's neck and pulled her even closer. Caroline wrapped her arms around Eleanor, not wanting an inch of space between them; eyes shut tight and shocked at how quickly she was moving along. _'I suppose it has been five days.'_ She shut out everything but the pressure and the contours of Eleanor's body against her, how she felt and how she smelled. How she breathed in her ear and moved with her in unison. She focused on her own body's reaction. After a brief eternity she leaned forward and bit Eleanor's shoulder, shuddering for a few moments and then laughing mutely and trying not to actually gasp for air.

Eleanor smiled and kept Caroline close, holding her up and waiting for her to catch her breath. She chuckled gently as Caroline panted quietly on her shoulder.

"I told you that when the payback came, you wouldn't have to ask."


	15. Chapter 15

"The master suite is, em, breathtaking," Eleanor glanced over to Caroline with a smirk. "But it's not right, overall. Neither one of us could possibly live in that kitchen."

They all stood in front of the second house they'd seen, late afternoon setting in and breath beginning to puff in the cold air.

Phil waved a hand. "Like I said, this is the long game, ladies. Offers on the first day are for amateurs!" He gave them an all-knowing assessing gaze. "I could tell you cats were smarter than that the moment I met you."

"You seem to know a lot about cats." Caroline's delivery was deadpan.

He looked over and slowly began to wag his finger. "You." He narrowed his eyes. "You're not just gorgeous, you're hilarious!"

"I get that all the time." Still a completely neutral expression from Caroline, arms crossed over her chest.

Phil's façade was finally uncertain until Caroline smiled and pointed her finger at him.

He laughed hardily and put his hands on his hips. "Oh Caroline."

Eleanor looked over at Caroline again and they smiled at each other. She arched her brow and Caroline looked away quickly.

"Now when can we all get back together? I tell you I miss you guys already. And I just can't wait to get you into that perfect house."

Both women frowned and pulled out their phones.

"Next Saturday?"

Simultaneous shake of dark and blonde hair.

"Sunday?"

More shaking.

"Okay how about you busy bees convo and get back to me. You just give me the word and old Phil here will appear, just like magic!"

"You are magical." Eleanor gave him a genuinely fond smile.

"You're not the first dark haired beauty to say that!" Again with the self-effacing smile, taking the overt sliminess out of the ridiculous one liner. "And like I said. I've got an ace" – he pointed to his cuff – "up this sleeve." He finished with a wink. "That house I told you about going up in couple of months is going to be perfect."

"Our fate is in your hands." Eleanor stepped forward to shake Phil's hand and Caroline followed suit.

He waved at them vigorously as he climbed into that ridiculous Porsche, and they climbed into the Jeep.

Caroline only had to look at Eleanor, and they burst into laughter.

"You simply can't tell me when you've had more fun on a Saturday, Caroline."

"Yes I can. Twenty months ago, March. Your house." Caroline dared her to disagree.

"Mmmm. You're absolutely right about that." Eleanor put a finger to her lips and wagged her eyebrows.

Caroline leaned over the console and kissed her gently. Pulled back but stayed close. "I like looking for houses with you." Her blue eyes moved quickly, scanning Eleanor's features and pupils growing wide.

"I should certainly hope so." Eleanor looked right back at Caroline and it struck her that when she did, all that crossed her mind were possibilities and anticipation.

Caroline put a hand to her cheek, gave another quick smile.

Eleanor turned her head to the window and focused on the memory that had come forward just now as she looked into Caroline's eyes. The first time she ever had, a moment from almost twelve years ago and a memory that hadn't faded with time.

* * *

"Caroline Elliott."

"Eleanor Strathclyde."

Eleanor shook Caroline's hand firmly and was caught off-guard. Lesbians tended to own eye contact, and this woman was looking right through her. It hadn't occurred to her that new Head Teacher at Sulgrave Heath had anything to do with anything but the straight and narrow. But on a rare occasion, being married had little to do with sexual orientation.

Eleanor had only recently come out at work. It still wasn't considered 'safe,' and being new at Anadyne, she felt it had been risky. Catherine had warned her against it. But Ken, the CEO, seemed exceptionally progressive, and it had been an immediate way to forestall in Harrogate the rampant sexual harassment she'd been subjected to in London. It might be the year 2004, but the boys in big pharma still loved to pretend they were living the life of the two-martini lunch and the available secretary pool.

"Yes – Eleanor. I remember meeting you – from the parent council, the search committee?" The long-haired blonde looked her up and down, feigning interest and not quite achieving authenticity.

'Is she even aware she's doing that?' Eleanor was horrified for a moment. 'Ah. I think she is.'

She returned the appraisal openly, and Caroline finally blinked, but smiled.

"Yes – the parent council. I have two girls here." Eleanor committed to not looking down. She'd been doing that quite a lot lately, and she could hear her mother reprimanding her. 'You've no business searching the ground Eleanor. Nothing you're looking for will be found there.'

Caroline squinted at her, in what Eleanor perceived was likely to be mock concentration. "It's June and Lily, correct?"

Eleanor glanced over her shoulder, where a younger woman was casting furtive glances their way. Caroline's assistant – Beverley. More than competent. More than likely to have drilled her boss on the names of the children of every single person in attendance tonight. Caroline was only making it look as though she'd a hard time remembering. Self-effacing on her part, or putting egotistical parents in their place?

Eleanor forgot to be self-conscious and decided to find out exactly what this other woman was about. "Yes. My two girls. And you've two boys – William and Lawrence?"

Caroline blinked again. "Yes that's right."

"And I believe they're all about the same age?"

"Spot-on again." Caroline gave a frowning smile and tilted her head.

Eleanor held her very blue eyes and was still surprised she didn't look away. The air of absolute disinterest had evaporated, but there was a still a distance, a chasm between the disappearance of that distance and the appearance of anything approaching intimacy and warmth.

"How are you settling in?" Reflexively, Eleanor tucked a strand of short auburn hair behind her ear. She'd cut it short last year, after they'd moved up here. But it was more work than she'd anticipated to keep the style fresh and she'd begun to grow it out again. It was exactly the wrong length at the moment.

"Very well, thank you. We've bought a fixer-upper, and I'm looking forward to the project." Now a light appeared in Caroline's eyes, and as it did Eleanor began to feel more invested in extending the conversation than she had a right to. More invested than she wanted to. The divorce from Emma had left her mostly numb, and romance was a concept she'd had little interest in.

"And you, Eleanor, – how long have you been in Harrogate?"

Eleanor appreciated the sound of her name coming through Caroline's lips, the musicality of her tone. She cleared her throat and refused to look at the ground. "We've been here just a year or so now. The girls and I moved up from London."

"Wonderful. Well we're very lucky to have your family here at Sulgrave Heath." Caroline smiled again, her blue eyes crinkled. "Just the three of you? Are you married?"

"Divorced." Eleanor nodded slightly. "Almost two years ago."

"I'm sorry. Men can be idiots."

"I'm sure they can."

Caroline frowned but moved on quickly. "You work locally? Pharmaceuticals - Anadyne?" Finally, she'd dropped any pretext of intellectual modesty. Eleanor looked forward to talking with a more honest version of Caroline.

"Yes. I've been with them since we came up from London, and in the industry for about ten years now. Since Oxford."

"I'm out of Oxford myself. Doctorate in Organic Chemistry." Caroline's entire face opened up, and that chasm felt much narrower.

Eleanor now realized that she was inescapably interested in Caroline Elliott. 'Damnit.' "Yes. Of course. I remember from your CV, from the search committee." Eleanor stepped a little closer to the other woman, and now realized she was absolutely flirting with Caroline Elliott. Again, she felt a distinct lifting of spirit at her absence of anxiety over it.

Caroline smiled, deigning to look abashed. "Yes - of course. I knew that."

Eleanor let her off the hook. "I can't imagine how many questions you must have answered already this evening. Most of them droll and involving single syllable responses, similar to the conversation we're having now?"

"You're a lively one." The smile on Caroline's face seemed to settle in as the conversation continued, and Eleanor enjoyed the feeling of provoking the reaction.

"I've been well-trained to be entertaining at these types of occasions." Eleanor clasped her hands at her waist. "Like a proper Spaniel."

Another entertained frown from Caroline, then a real scowl. "Well then we'll have to make sure we invite you to be more involved with the school, so we can be assured of your presence at ah 'these types of occasions. And - may I call you Eleanor?"

"Please."

"You do yourself a disservice, Eleanor, with the Spaniel comparison." Caroline gave her an encouraging squeeze of the shoulder. It was a touch forced. But she let her hand linger, and her gaze held just as long. Eleanor waited, and waited, for the other woman to stop touching her, didn't speak until she took her hand back. She did, finally, and Eleanor missed the feel of it.

"A poor joke, perhaps. I hope you won't hold it against me."

"I'd never dream of it."

Caroline looked her up and down again, and again Eleanor had a distinct notion that there was something more to this conversation than the other woman would ever admit to herself. Eleanor had been appraised by more than one woman. There were those who were looking over her intelligence, those who were looking over her clothes, and those who were looking over her. Caroline's assessment fell distinctly in the last category. Eleanor smiled, doing her very best to keep any shyness from it. A quiet fell during the natural lull in the conversation. During this time, she remembered herself, and the proper way to handle women. She offered her hand, a more formal closure to the conversation than was necessary. But it was a reason to touch Caroline again. "Good. Glad to hear it. And I hope we'll have a chance to run into each other again."

"I'm sure." Bright blue eyes fixed on Eleanor's, no longer distant at all, but instead curious. "It's been lovely to get to know you better."

"And you as well. I hope you'll be quite happy at the school."

"I'm sure I will."

A shorter, dark haired man appeared at Caroline's elbow, wine in hand. He leaned in awkwardly to kiss her cheek. She accepted it with a smile. But having made such a careful study of her already, Eleanor wasn't convinced of its sincerity. Caroline turned toward him and placed a hand on his wrist. Eleanor drifted away silently and easily blended in to the crowd.

Caroline looked up and over, bright smile of anticipation on her face, to introduce John to a new parent she'd very much enjoyed getting to know, this Eleanor. Her brow wrinkled as she realized the woman had already stepped away. Too bad. She'd very much enjoyed her company.


	16. Chapter 16

"So May? Sunshine and blooms and spring? Very romantic." Gillian handed Caroline's tea over to her from the bar, and they took a seat at the café table. Spring blustered by outside and a fall of blossoms underscored the saccharine nature of the sentiment that hadn't been delivered along with Gillian's tone of voice.

"That's what weddings are for." Caroline responded with a crooked smile.

"You doing it all traditional then?"

"Noooooo. Hardly seems appropriate, for either of us." She took a sip of tea and picked a piece of lint from her cuff. They sat at a table near the window, watching Harrogate bustle by.

"What's gonna be the deal, then?"

"We're not sure." Caroline shrugged and sat back in her chair.

"It's April already - aren't you sort of running out of time to decide?" Gillian blew across the top of her cup.

"I suppose." Caroline shrugged again.

"Hardly seems like you, not caring a bit about the details, and this and that."

Another shrug and a smile from Caroline, unruffled these days by much of anything.

"God. You're disgusting." Gillian crossed her arms. The change in Caroline was remarkable. She hadn't seen it so much in herself when she'd hitched her wagon to Robbie.

"We'll figure it out."

Gillian stared at her in growing disbelief and Caroline responded to it with a laugh and a change of subject.

"How are Raff and Ellie getting on?"

"Pretty well. Calamity's starting at school in the fall. Can't believe she's big enough." Gillian sighed. "Hard to get used to being a Gran. Don't feel old enough."

"And sometimes I feel a little old to be a Mum again."

"I actually think they're going to get married, Raff and Ellie. It's catching. Watching you two make eyes at each other and act lovesick. You're giving people false hope."

"Hmph." Caroline chuckled. "Glad to see it. And glad to see that he went on to finish his A levels. Even –"

"Yes, Caroline, 'even if he doesn't go on now, it's worth it.' You're not the only one in the family appreciates what it means to have an education," Gillian shot back.

Caroline held up a hand in supplication. "No need get worked up about it. I'm just saying."

"Enough of your just saying Caroline. It's condescending."

"What's got into you?" Caroline frowned, disdain on her face. "Here we are - having a nice afternoon together, no grandkids – or kids – and you want to dicker? I've got better ways to spend my day."

Gillian fussed with the paper bottom of her cup, set it down and bit at her thumb before looking up at Caroline. "Paul's started coming back around again."

"Gillian." Caroline's brow drew together, and she couldn't help a shake of her head to accompany the glare.

"Oh don't _Gillian_ me. We haven't even – "

"Even what?" Caroline gave Gillian a look of condescension that only sisters seemed to be able to manage with any kind of sympathy. "Even had tea, would be my hope at how you were going to finish that sentence, seeing the mess you got into with him last time, and the fact that you've already created a proper pile of lies between you and Robbie."

"Don't lecture me."

"Don't be an idiot and I won't have to." Caroline started to take a sip of tea, then replaced the cup on the table. "You really are your own worst enemy, Gillian. Just – don't be stupid about this. You're better than that."

"It's not as though I mean to." Gillian, sullen, stared out into to the street. "I don't mean to do these things, and I don't want to. And then they happen."

"Happen? What the _fuck_ , Gillian? You're forty-nine years old. Is it that you never mean to be in charge of yourself, or it's on a list stuck in a drawer and you've just not got around to it yet?"

"Look your highness. Just because you're riding the gravy train of life right now doesn't give you the chance to stick it to the rest of us. I mean, I know, you've had a bump and a rough go. But not all of us are in the same place as you, not all of us are perfect." Gillian scowled.

"A bump?" Caroline shook her head again. "Just don't. Okay. Just don't. I like Robbie. I really do. And he's good for you. But do you even love him?"

"I do. I wasn't sure at first. I wasn't. Don't know why. Don't know why I didn't want to – love him. Admit that I love him. But it's down to Robbie for me, and it always has been."

"So why, Gillian. Why? The other men? For the love of God. I mean seriously – why?"

Gillian's shoulders sank with her deeper into the café chair. "I don't know. I don't. Honestly. If I did you don' think I'd do better? It just – happens. It's there, in front of me. Someone I want and wants me back, and it's right there to take, and so I do."

"And then it's shit for you and everyone else. Can you not think about that, first?'

"Do you think I don't? That is doesn't cross my mind?"

"Well if it did cross your mind, seems like you wouldn't act like you do." Caroline drilled her fingertip into the tile of the tabletop.

"And there you have it then." Gillian leaned toward her. "The word on high from head teacher Caroline Dawson herself. All the answers you need, just tied up in a neat little package. If only you'd been around, when John was about to put it to Judith."

Caroline now looked torn equally between throwing her tea right on Gillian or storming out without another word.

Gillian figured it wouldn't pay to wait to find out and began to back track immediately. "That wasn't what I should have said."

"Oh no? Not what you should have said?" Caroline waved her hand at Gillian, noticing people noticing them and leaning in over the table. "Yes well then maybe you should have said that. Maybe I should have been there when you set to shagging my not-yet ex-husband on our birthday. How about that, me standing there, right over you. Would that have been enough to convince you to think twice, before you made yourself available to the next man who asked?"

"Like as not it would've." Gillian studied her cup, turning it on the table between her hands and regretful for what she'd said.

"Well then. I can't be standing over you all day every day, stopping you from yourself."

"What makes you think that you don't? What makes you think I don't see you standing there, every time I'm not Saint Caroline, the fuckin' perfect daughter, the perfect girlfriend and life and kids and the rest. Perfect career and brains and body and all of it. What makes you think I don't see that you're everything Dad probably wanted out of me and I couldn't be?"

Caroline studied her own cup. "Gillian."

Gillian didn't respond. She turned again to stare out the giant plate glass window at their side, painted with whatever clever name the café was currently sporting. The business seemed to turn over every few years, and the clever coffee-related puns were growing wearisome and uninspired.

Silence fell on them and they sat within it, both unsure how to proceed but sure that they would. It had been years between them now, and this a practiced exercise.

"You know I'm not perfect. You know I'm not, and I'm not an excuse for what you do or don't do." Caroline tried to meet Gillian's eyes.

"Yeah sure." Gillian still didn't look at her, looked instead at the queue at the register. "But you're a little more perfect, aren't you?"

"I'm not." Caroline sighed, stared at Gillian until she met her gaze. "We're none of us perfect, when we look through our parent's eyes, are we? Do you think I don't wonder if Celia might have been happier if I'd been married to Robbie, or still to John, or any man at all, instead of planning to be married to Eleanor? Perhaps I wonder if even that might not have been enough, either?" Caroline contemplated the table, took a drink of her tea and looked right back at Gillian. "But I've given up wondering. Fact is, that after Mum sat out the wedding with Kate, well, I had to." She nodded to herself. "I had to stop wondering about things."

"Yeah sure." Gillian nodded. "Sure Caroline. Sorry – about that."

Caroline waved her hand again. "Ehhh." She smiled, sense of magnanimity overwhelming in her current situation. She considered Gillian and then followed her gaze, the quiet between them now diffused and softer. "Just call me – or text – or – whatever. Before you do something stupid."

Gillian made a non-committal gesture with her head.

"Gillian?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you stand with me – or – you know – be with me – when Eleanor and I marry? I don't know what to call it. Maid of honor sounds ridiculous." Caroline smiled down bashfully and Gillian paused. Silent in her surprise at the invitation as she continued. "Best woman, I suppose? You owe me."

Gillian laughed awkwardly. "Yeah okay. Yeah." She smiled. "I'd like that. Thanks."

Caroline reached across the table and Gillian responded and took her hand, still unsure but working to be confident in her expression and Caroline recognizing her effort. They touched only for a moment. Acknowledged it all with a mutual nod of their heads and then sipped their tea simultaneously, smiling in unison but not meeting the other's eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

Caroline drifted in and out of sleep during Eleanor's stealthy search for her yoga pants, but her ninja-quiet wore off as she smacked her shin on the corner of the bed. She covered her mouth but a quiet "shit" snuck out, and Caroline slowly opened her eyes.

"Good morning," She took in her fiancée for the first time that day, who was wincing and making an apologetic face.

"Sorry." Eleanor whispered. She limped over to kiss Caroline's forehead and then resumed her silent bustle.

Caroline smiled, satisfied, and couldn't help but close her eyes. She was exhausted.

Eleanor bent over, her back to Caroline. She was struggling to pull up her yoga pants, equally as tired and not admitting that hungover might be a better description for her condition. She almost lost her balance when Caroline spoke, and darted her hand out on the dresser to steady herself.

"What are you doing? Where are you going? And must you?"

Eleanor returned to the bed, leaned over, and kissed Caroline on the cheek. "I'm running late to pick Flora up at Greg's. I overslept and if I don't rush we'll be late for our first yoga class." She walked toward the door, turning her head. "You have a proper lie in. You earned it last night."

Caroline moaned at the ceiling. "You're a trooper to do this. After that party I don't know how you can function. You have to be as knackered as I am." She put a hand over her eyes. The sun wasn't up but it was still so bright out.

Eleanor stopped at the door and turned. "Go back to sleep. We'll be home in about two hours. Lily's off at her study group already, so the house should be quiet for a change. But if you positively can't sleep, maybe we can take a nap later."

Caroline's eyes were still closed, but she smiled. "You're terrible at naps."

"And?" Eleanor waited patiently for a sleepy Caroline to finish her thought – appropriately.

"And I love that about you."

Eleanor smiled. "Love you too." She clicked the door shut quietly.

Caroline heard the Land Rover drive off and nestled a little deeper into her pillow, hoping to drift off again. But she was too stirred to sleep and instead looked over toward the alarm clock, switching it on to Radio 4 at a very low volume. She rolled over and noticed the new leopard print heels Eleanor had kicked toward the closet as they were stripping down last night. There was something about those heels on Eleanor. And that something had resulted in a very satisfactory end to the evening.

They had been to one of Meg and Jill's far-famed theme parties. This year it had been declared a "wife swap," partners dressing as each other. Caroline had bought Eleanor a black cashmere dress for the occasion. Generously low cut in the back and in the front, more so than Eleanor usually wore. Unstructured, it fell advantageously on her. Of course she thought most clothes fell advantageously on Eleanor. She had worked very hard to convince herself that the dress had been a gift for Eleanor – and not vice versa.

She knew Eleanor might wear the dress often enough, but the heels were a frivolous addition to the outfit she couldn't resist. They were a signature Caroline fashion element that really brought the outfit home. It was the first time she could recall seeing Eleanor in heels that high, and she held out hope it wouldn't be the last. Eleanor had at least promised her the occasional private stroll, after seeing the reaction they'd earned.

She'd really tried to be patient, but no matter how much she admired Eleanor in the dress, by the end of the night all Caroline wanted to do was get her home and get her out of the dress. She wanted her out of most things recently, since the engagement, finally matching Eleanor's libido and maybe even challenging it.

Studying the abandoned heels and remembering why they'd been flying through the air in the first place put a smile on her lips and stirred, frustrated by the emptiness filling the bed next to her. She rolled onto her back and ran her hands through her hair, took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully through her bangs. She propped herself up on her elbows and contemplated starting the productive portion of her day. But still feeling too tired to possibly leave the bed, three martinis had been one too many, she flopped back down, a whiff of Eleanor's perfume drifting off the pillows and crisp white sheets.

She frowned at Radio 4, and clicked on the docked ipod. She tapped at it and opened Eleanor's Spotify account and scrolled through. _'She's always listening to something interesting.'_ She flicked down her playlists and stopped on "Caroline." _'What's this then?'_

She smiled at Eleanor's recently discovered love of Aretha, and of course the obligatory tracks from Rosemary, and a track or two from Van Morrison. She guessed the Fleetwood Mac had more to do with the name titling the playlist than Eleanor's personal musical preferences. She scrolled on. Something from a sweaty Nathaniel and a few others she didn't recognize.

She frowned at the variety of choices, and hit shuffle. It settled itself on another unfamiliar track from "Lucinda Williams."

She laid back and relaxed, wondering what Eleanor might have been thinking when she put the playlist together, why she chose which tracks, what had drawn her to any of them, and to this one.

The opening dominant guitar strains tapered off.

 _"Not a day goes by, I don't think about you."_

As the song moved along, Caroline stopped wondering why Eleanor had chosen the track. Lucinda's' sultry voice sounded like something Eleanor might listen to all day long.

 _"The way you move, it's right in time."_

She turned on her side, watching the ipod for no reason. The song continued, and as the lyrics began to paint a picture, a curious and mischievous smile crept to her lips. An idea planted itself in her head and wouldn't leave her alone, until she finally gave in with a grin. _'I'm sure Eleanor wouldn't mind. In fact, I don't think she'd mind at all…'_

The song began to taper off, and she tapped repeat and turned up the volume, smile broadening in anticipation.

 _"Stand over the stove, in the kitchen. I watch the water boil, and I listen."_

Still laughing quietly, her eyes drifted over to a photo of her with Eleanor on the bedside table. It was from the most recent Christmas party. Side by side on the piano bench and lights glowing in the background. Eleanor's hand was on her shoulder, smiling at Caroline who was laughing at the camera. She focused on Eleanor for a while, intensely and as long as she could focus. Then she closed her eyes again. Her smile broadened and her breath quickened.

 _"Think about you, and that long ride. I bite my nails, I get weak inside."_

Suddenly, she clenched the sheet with a tight fist and exhaled from her toes. The song ended and another started. She laughed and caught her breath as her heart rate slowed.

A few minutes later she got out of bed, walked into the en suite to shower and began what promised to be a lazy Saturday. Faculty reviews had been on the docket, but Michael Dobson could wait. As she came back into the bedroom she almost stumbled over Eleanor's heels. She stopped to pick them up and put them in their new spot on the shoe rack. Her heart jumped again as she thought about that nap Eleanor had promised.


	18. Chapter 18

"What do you mean _all_ of the keyboards?"

"Unfortunately it's just that, Caroline. All the keyboards – all the keys on all the keyboards in most of the school. They've been rearranged. So no one can type."

"What do you mean no one can type?" Caroline stared at Beverley, completely confused and consternated.

Beverley stared right back, equally frustrated that Caroline wasn't catching on. She held up the visual aid she'd brought with her. Just a few of the keys on the keyboard had been disassembled and reassembled, but enough of them that anyone typing using the standard method would punch out nothing but gibberish.

Caroline still stared blankly, though it was obvious she'd caught on to the nature of the problem – and was now befuddled by the scope of it.

"Oh." She frowned. "But that must have taken forever. How in the world?"

Beverley smiled, infinite patient, still waiting for her the headmistriss to appear. "I'm afraid the how is just one of our problems, at the moment."

Now Beverley finally felt the rumble of the storm from Caroline as she whipped off her glasses to make direct eye contact, tone rising. "Do you mean to tell me that _none_ of the computers – that someone has essentially _sabotaged_ , until we can fix the keyboards - every computer in _every_ classroom?" Her eyes narrowed until they were only slits of bright blue.

Beverley's face and tone were unimpressed with Caroline's revelation. "And the library."

"But how?" Caroline sat back in her chair and exhaled, expression unchanged but thoughts beginning to become animated as further ramifications of the situation began to reveal themselves. "Were any of the keyboards in the administrative offices – ours, or the _financial_ offices -" she paused praying that Beverley would have the answer she wanted to hear – "affected?"

"No."

Caroline nodded. "Okay. I mean, this is bad enough. But I suppose this joker – or jokers – still see themselves as benign." The practical jokes so far had been amusing enough, but the staff time and the instruction time lost to fix the situations weren't.

She thought back to last month when they had arrived after the weekend to discover all of the desks in all of the classrooms shrink wrapped. Whoever was at this seemed to have plenty of time, expertise, money - and imagination. Each month of the school year had delighted them with a new practical surprise.

"It would appear so."

Caroline pinched the bridge of her nose and looked down at her lap as she spoke. "And I know you're already on a solution?"

"Yes. We've printed off copies of the proper keyboard layout and given them to all the students to help fix. First period will be a wash, but by the bell we should be set to rights."

Caroline looked back up, smug, but appreciative, and resigned. "Add this to the governor's agenda for next week."

Beverley winced. "Will do. Anything else?"

"Yep. Earl grey tea. And two Jammie Dodgers." Caroline smiled tightly. "Please."

Beverley nodded crisply with a sympathetic smile and bustled out. Caroline pulled open her top right hand drawer and grabbed a bottle of aspirin.

* * *

Alan burst out laughing and Celia rolled her eyes. Eleanor clapped her hand over her mouth. Lily quickly diverted her attention to her peas, and Flora hummed along happily to an improvised tune in her head.

Caroline tried not to laugh herself – more out of frustration than amusement. She pointed at Alan. "It is not funny."

Alan shook his head, still chuckling. "Oh but it is, just a bit, love."

Caroline scowled. She tossed her napkin on the table and continued to point at Alan. "It's not funny, and it's a serious problem. I mean, someone is breaking into the school to do these things."

He held up both his hands and became a bit more serious. "Oh sure. But they're harmless, aren't they? I mean whoever's up to it clearly isn't being malicious. Nothing's been damaged."

"Yet." Caroline picked up her wine glass, drank deeply, and placed it back on the table abruptly. "These things tend to escalate." She looked over to Lily who was exceptionally silent. "Lily, have you heard anything? Anyone taking credit?" She looked pointedly back to Alan. "People like this usually like to brag about their accomplishments."

He nodded in vehement agreement.

Now Eleanor adopted a look of concerned interest as she looked back and forth between Caroline and Lily, watching for landmines as the personal and the professional collided at the dinner table.

Lily looked up from her peas directly at Caroline but didn't respond.

Eleanor still waited silently, recognizing Lily's look, one she'd learned directly from her mother. A demure smile of amusement portending cold and angry offense, depending on what came next. Whether Caroline recognized it as well would greatly affect the response.

Unfortunately, Caroline was distracted in her frustration and Eleanor winced inside as she spoke.

"If you do know something Lily, I'd expect you to tell me."

"Would you?" The innocent smile persisted.

Caroline frowned at Lily's defiance, head teacher rather than stepmother calling the shots.

Celia, Alan, and now Flora were paying attention. It seemed everyone was aware of what was developing, aside from Caroline.

Eleanor waged a silent internal war, and decided to let the two of them work it out themselves. Lily wasn't June, and was even less like her sweet sister when they were apart. It seemed Caroline was about to find that out the hard way.

"As a matter of fact, Lily, I would. Yes. I would expect you to act like a mature adult in this situation."

Lily looked over to her mother, offered one last out for the table. Eleanor responded with a neutral expression. Lily and June had often turned to their mother to referee in disagreements, but there had never been another authority figure in the mix, other than Zoe, who had mirrored and followed Eleanor's approach. Lily of course assumed Eleanor would immediately take her side against Caroline's aggression. Eleanor's stomach clenched and her dinner turned over as she struggled to stay disengaged.

Caroline's frustration and determination dug in as Lily looked back at her, still silent.

"Will you please answer me, Lily?" Exceptionally stern tone from Caroline, speaking as though she were seated in her office and confronting a student who'd cheated on an exam.

"You know you haven't really given me a good reason to, Caroline. And I don't know what I would say even if you did."

Caroline's eyes widened and she leaned forward and opened her mouth to begin an angry reply.

Eleanor sneezed into her napkin. Caroline looked over, unhappy at being interrupted but caught immediately by Eleanor's seemingly misplaced look of sympathy.

Caroline frowned as the expression quickly disappeared from Eleanor's face and became neutral again. Her rising temper plummeted as she finally recognized her tactical error and wondered if it were too late to correct course. It began to sink in at the moment, the difference between raising teenage boys and girls. And particularly the difference in approaching those raised by a single mother. Of course the students acted differently depending on their background and personality. But they also became very similar when being confronted by the head teacher. Apparently step-daughters at the dinner table did not.

 _'Oh shit. I've really put my foot in it.'_ Caroline looked back at Lily and practically smacked herself for not picking up what she would have read almost instantly on Eleanor's face. She worked to calm her temper. The more aggressive she was Lily the farther she was going to get from her destination. She could make a show of power, or she could get what she wanted.

She smiled and sat back in her chair. "I'm sorry Lily. I don't think I've handled this well."

Lily sat back as well, but she crossed her arms, did not look at Caroline as she replied.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. And I really don't know anything." Now she looked up, contrite. But Caroline almost smiled as she saw the slow burn of defiance very far back in her eyes. "If I did, I suppose I would tell you if you asked. But you know I'm not into ratting people out." She tucked a strand of raven hair behind her ear as an almost haughty expression crossed her face. "But if I do hear something, I will tell you."

 _'I wonder if Lawrence and William are so transparently similar to me, and to John.'_ Caroline almost chuckled, but caught herself. "Thank you Lily. I appreciate it. You know this has caused all of us a lot of trouble, even if it's meant to be harmless. It's taken a lot of Beverley's time, and a lot of very valuable time from the faculty as well. Sometimes people think they're being hilarious, when in fact they're simply causing others problems."

Lily's green eyes widened. "I understand. I really do. I'm sorry."

Again Caroline practically kicked herself. She offered a broader smile. "I know. You're a good person – and a good student. I know you know it, but I want you to know as well that I think so. I'm sorry I didn't acknowledge that right off the bat."

Eleanor stood and began to clear plates. Alan joined her, and Celia turned to Flora who had finished her own peas, now smashing them into the mat as she began to sing along again to the music in her head.

Lily smiled at Caroline and stayed true to herself to the very end. "But you have to admit. It is just a little bit funny."

As she stood at the sink Eleanor closed her eyes and looked down with a pained smile.

Caroline picked up her wine glass and finished it as she fixed Lily with a smile and a glare. "I don't have to admit any such thing."

Celia finished cleaning Flora and took them both in. "Of course you don't, love, but then again you never could admit it when you were wrong."

Lily laughed, as did Eleanor and Alan in the kitchen. Caroline looked up shocked, and Celia shrugged blandly.


	19. Chapter 19

As they walked the dairy aisle of the Waitrose Caroline stared at the milk in stunned silence.

"Well aren't you _pleased_?" Celia frowned at Caroline's reaction, obviously completely different than what she'd anticipated.

"Yes of course Mum. I'm bloody over the _moon_. But you know, you have to admit, it's a little – unexpected."

"People can change. Just look at you." Celia looked her daughter up and down, and then picked up and pondered a new variety of protein-added milk in the case.

Caroline slowed their pace as they got to the yogurt and pulled the cart to the side. She stacked a couple in the cart, then stopped abruptly and turned to her mother, hands on her hips.

"And just when did this miraculous transformation occur? When exactly did you decide to lower yourself and grace us with your presence at my wedding?"

"I don't know. I just did."

"But _whhhhyyy_? Why now?" Caroline resumed stacking yogurt, sticking to varieties Flora had declared edible, and shook her head, non-plussed. "I mean, you know, I _am_ thrilled. I'm really happy about it. Really. But you have to admit this is a bit of an about face."

She waited for a response. The quick after-dinner trip to the grocery had taken an unexpected turn, and after the day, she was in no mood for it.

Celia's tone rose and she clapped her hands at her sides. "Well I don't know. But I don't see how it matters, the whens and the whys."

Caroline resumed pushing the cart, Celia clutching her purse and pacing alongside.

"Alright." Carline turned up the next aisle the toward the biscuits and accelerated.

Celia caught up with her. "Alright what?"

"Alright. You can come." Caroline's face was imperious and disinterested in Celia as she studied her biscuit options. She grabbed a box of dark chocolate Digestives, Eleanor's current favorite. Her preferences seemed to change with the seasons, and Caroline was struggling to pay enough attention to keep up. Impulsively she grabbed a second one to sneak into Eleanor's work bag.

"I _can_ come – to the wedding? Is that what you're saying?"

"That's what I'm saying. I'll have to clear it with Eleanor, of course, but I'm sure she'll want you there." Caroline still hadn't made eye contact with Celia since the yogurt, continued on with the cart toward the produce.

"Want me there?"

Caroline stopped in the middle of the aisle. "You sound like a damn broken record Mum. And yes – want you there. Because you have to believe, I mean, it must have crossed your mind at _some_ point, that perhaps we might have reservations about including people we had to force there at gunpoint - to the happiest day of our lives as a couple?"

Celia crossed her arms and frowned. "Alan said you'd already talked to him about it."

"Yes, Mum, I have. Because Alan had the good manners to act happy for us when we told you two." Caroline resumed her journey toward the apples.

Celia trailed her silently for a while as Caroline picked out apples and bananas - also apparently within Flora's acceptable food range at the moment. Celia finally wandered over to select a couple head of lettuce and mushrooms. She met Caroline at the cart and grabbed it before Caroline had the chance to wheel off to another corner of the store.

"I am happy for you."

She sighed. "I suppose you are, aren't you? In your own way?"

Celia rested both her hands on the cart and looked right at Caroline. "Yes. I am."

Caroline smiled. "Alright." She pushed on toward the check out. Celia peeled off. "Be right there love. Forgot toothpaste!"

Caroline rolled her eyes and smiled after her as her mum strutted down the toiletries aisle.

* * *

"So here in Harrogate then." Eleanor raised her eyebrow as Caroline became increasingly agitated. "And please don't flop around so much. It's cold tonight and I could do without the draft."

Caroline frowned thunderously and flounced under the sheets even more dramatically.

Eleanor closed her eyes and the edges of her pursed lips turned up in a grin. She had taken first story rotation in Flora's bedtime ritual and Caroline the second. "I Really Like Slop," followed by "Little Owl's Night," and a quick song from Caroline, progressively quieter verses of "Itsy bitsy spider."

Eleanor always kept the door open to listen in. It made her smile every time. She had been propped in bed reading as Caroline had come through, thrown herself into bed, and begun spouting non-sequiturs about her desires for the wedding.

Now Caroline flopped again with a sigh, still staring up, and Eleanor laughed and put her book on the side table next to the alarm clock. "We can do it in Harrogate, of course. At the house, the school, the library. I don't care. You know I'll marry you in the back alley of a butcher shop if that's what you want."

"That is not what I want at all."

"Well what do you want?" Eleanor's expression was indulgent and she half-way held up one arm.

Caroline crawled under it with a 'harumph' and another sigh. "I don't know," she pouted. "And we're running out of time."

"It's our wedding, darling. We have as much time as we want." Eleanor waved off her concern.

Caroline fiddled with a button on her pajamas. "Yes. I suppose."

"What's up?"

"Hmmmmm?" Caroline continued to fiddle.

Eleanor ran a hand over Caroline's blond hair and waited.

Caroline flopped back over again and stared up at the ceiling. "Mum's decided she wants to come."

Eleanor paused, then smiled. "Well that's wonderful."

Caroline rolled her head over to look up. " _Is_ it?"

"Of course."

Caroline smiled back. "Okay."

Eleanor extricated her arm folded her hands in her lap. "Let's just keep the ceremony small though. Maybe just us and our witnesses?"

Caroline frowned. "Oh that's right. I forgot to tell you. I asked Gillian. To be a witness."

Eleanor frowned, confused by Caroline's dubious expression. "That's great."

Caroline's face transformed, her expressions as nimble as her moods, and she smiled again. "I know. I'm just surprised. At how we've come to be. Gillian and I." She looked up again. "You don't want to make a big show of it?"

"Oh I want a big party at some point. Overflowing with food and lights and dancing and all the alcohol in town." She nudged Caroline with her leg before her tone quieted. "But it was a big affair last time, my wedding. Up at the house. And I suppose…"

Caroline rolled down and over partially onto Eleanor, head resting on her stomach. "Yes. I know. I'm sorry about Emma. I really am." She shuffled around and turned to curl perpendicular and looked up with big sad blue eyes. "I don't know what else to say, really."

"I know," Eleanor replied. "You don't have to say anything. And it's - it's better now. It feels different. It's been good lately, with Vivian. We're going to hang it up again for a while I think. And I think I'm back in the right place – with everything."

Caroline nodded, resumed her pajama fidgeting.

"And we're in the right place, you and I. I think that was a big part of it, Caroline. What happened. Everything went off balance at the same time." Eleanor could see the anxiety in her eyes, the wish that it had all been different – for them and for her. "We're exactly where we need to be, and you're exactly where I've always wanted you to be."

"Which is where?" Caroline had learned how to set Eleanor up perfectly, and they both grinned madly as she returned the easy lob.

"In my bed. Serving me tea and scones."


	20. Chapter 20

"So it now says, "Welcome to VULGAR SHEATH?'" Caroline crossed her arms on her desk and rested her forehead on them, eyes closed.

"I'm afraid so, Caroline."

"And it will be how long until Jim can fix it?" Her voice was muffled, but Beverley understood her clearly.

"He'll be back from Hastings tomorrow."

"Can we not get someone from Johnston Day to help us?"

"I'll call over and ask."

"If we can have it fixed, or at least just down before the Governors arrive today, I will buy you two" - Caroline thought better of the offer - "make that three cases of Bourbons."

"That's an offer I can't pass up. I'll do my very best, if I have to climb up the ladder myself." Beverley winced at the top of Caroline's head. "Earl Grey and Jammie Dodgers?"

Caroline, head still down, nodded and gave Beverley two thumbs up. Her assistant turned and walked out, clicking the door shut silently behind her.

Caroline sat up. She opened her right-hand desk drawer and pulled out a very depleted bottle of aspirin. Last week the new sign they had installed at the entrance to the school had read, 'Welcome LUST GRAVE HEAT.'

Apparently their joker had found a favorite new target. At least correcting this was far less time consuming and far less costly. It had however, gained far more acclaim on the internet. The students were now submitting their pictures and their practical joke entries on Twitter to atsulgravejoker and atsmarterthanCMD, two accounts that had recently emerged. There was no way to tell if they were at all affiliated with the pranks. Beverley had tried to discover the registrants, to the response from Twitter, 'we are happy to comply with your court order.'

She looked out at the quad and sighed, at least grateful that everything else in her life seemed so incredibly easy these days. William and Lawrence happier than she'd ever seen them. Alan and Celia reasonably healthy and happy, or what passed for happy with her mum. And Eleanor and Flora seeming to fall even more in love with each other by the day.

Along with thoughts of Eleanor and Flora, a small grin snuck on to her face. At least they had not yet posted, "Welcome to THE SLUG RAVE."

* * *

"And you have no idea at all who's behind it?"

"We do not." Caroline shook her head.

"You do not. Let's be specific, Caroline." Evan Crenshaw made a disappointed face and showed it around for the rest of the seated Governors to appreciate.

Julie Bowen looked over at him and frowned. "No need to make things worse, Evan. I'm sure you agree that we all have full confidence in Caroline to resolve this."

"Well the fiscal damage is waning, at least." Evan shook his head at Caroline. "And how much has all this cost us in total?"

"Fortunately an amount almost equal to the surplus from the English department."

"For now." He pointed his pen at Caroline. "And there's our reputation to consider. Hardly the hallmark of a premier school, to have these types of things appearing monthly on the internet, unchecked."

 _If he points that pen at me one more time, I am going to –_

Caroline's thoughts were cut short by Janet Grisham. "Alright there's no need to belabor this. Caroline's brought it to our attention, and I trust it will be taken care of in due time." The pert senior brunette gave Caroline a look that was both sympathetic and directive.

Caroline smiled back tightly and nodded briskly. "Yes."

"Fine. And I think it goes without saying that all of you who have pupils enrolled here will be asking very pointed questions at home tonight?" She surveyed the board coolly, and received scattered nods.

"Very well. Let's move on. Caroline, can you please walk us through next year's admissions goals and prospectus?"

She nodded again and picked up the mock-up for the newest flyer to be mailed in the coming months, handing it around for evaluation and useless recommendations to be given ad nauseam.

* * *

Eleanor sipped her water daintily and touched her napkin to her lips. Spring had started to insist it might appear again, and just around the corner. Catherine was prattling on about something, but Eleanor was distracted by Valentine's Day. Shops and markets were covered in red and pink. The restaurant where they were having lunch was advertising its prix fixe at every turn. And she loved it all, because she finally had her own Valentine - that was true for the first time in many, many years.

"What are you on about? I missed the last three minutes." Eleanor looked over to Catherine in hazy concentration.

"One word? Just one word of what I've said, darling?" Catherine sighed. "Of course not." She shook her head. "I say 'Caroline' and its off the races you go."

"Don't be jealous."

"Hardly." Another shake of the head from Catherine. "Weddings and love. Congratulations. Stunning accomplishment, you've won the prize. Can we please now focus on me – and more specifically how you're going to be making me money for the rest of your career?"

Eleanor sparked back to the here and now. "Yes. Exactly what I meant to chat with you about today. Money."

Catherine sipped her white wine and narrowed her eyes. "This isn't going to go the way I want."

"Of course not." Eleanor waved her fork over her plate. "It's going to go how I want. And we can do it the easy way, and you say yes immediately, or the hard way."

"When it comes to you, Eleanor, I've always preferred the hard way." Catherine smiled over her fish. "Watching you work to earn it."

Eleanor sat patiently, matching the smile. Warming Catherine up and putting her in a pliant state of mind. For Catherine, pliant and women went hand in hand. "Yes, I know about you and the hard way, and women in general." She raised an eyebrow and let her old friend and new boss enjoy their game. "Speaking of, what's new?"

"Everything. I've a young one on the line, fresh faced and arrogant. Knows absolutely everything about everything, until we get to bed, and then she's as pure as the driven snow."

Eleanor made a piteous face. "Sounds like an awfully shallow pursuit, Catherine, even for you."

Catherine's look in reply was wolfish. "Oh but Eleanor – all the fun is in the challenge, isn't it? Every time I get her to say yes to something new…. Well darling you can't even imagine." She laughed and threw her head back in ecstasy, breathing in deeply.

Eleanor picked up her water glass and crossed her arm over her chest, enjoying the show. "You're disgusting."

"I know. It's fantastic. And I'm never once bored, not a minute in my life."

"And you're sure she's not sitting across town with her fresh-faced friends, having the same laugh at your expense?" Eleanor set her glass down, picked up her fork and speared a potato.

"Maybe. But it's so worth it." Catherine laughed. "Alright. You've warmed me up, I'm putty in your hands. Pitch me."

"Yes. Well, I start in July, can't wait. And I'm going to make you loads of money."

"So far so good."

"And then we're going to give it away."

Catherine shook her head and her index finger. "Ah that's not the way it works. I knew you were going to have trouble adapting. You see, I keep the money and then I give it away to car dealerships and shoe stores and jewelers and beautiful young women."

"You'll have plenty to shower on your willing victims. But a good chunk of it is going to go into our newest venture, or whatever organization we team up with to administer it. With your millennia in business consulting, you have access to skilled professionals with plenty of talent and cash, and available jobs. We're going to use that to spread some opportunity around to enterprising young kids who need it."

"And your new fetish with Robin Hood, I have Caroline to thank for it?" Catherine was clearly mortified by the sentiment. But clearly intrigued. Eleanor had always been her conscience, among her friends. And it wasn't nearly as much fun to be debaucherous without a conscience to contrast it.

"In fact, no. Her sister-in-law Gillian."

"The one with the farm?"

"Indeed. She made a rather strong point to me a while back, and I've been ruminating."

"Ruminating on the farm. How appropriate." Catherine pushed her plate away and stared at their waiter until he appeared to clear it. "Show me the numbers, Eleanor, and what you want to do with them. I know better than to dismiss you out of hand."

Eleanor smiled. "I hate to say it, Catherine, but I think we just did things the easy way. Tell your new girl thanks – because clearly she's distracted you." She looked her up and down, winked at Catherine and picked up their bill. "Why, you've even started to let yourself go."

* * *

"That's just so - you - Caroline. Don't you know by now that it's so much easier to catch flies with honey?" Eleanor was genuinely pained. She kneaded at Caroline's tight right shoulder with her elbow as Caroline stood in the kitchen working on puttanesca for the pasta.

"Meaning?" Caroline set down her wooden spoon on the rest. She planted her palms on the countertop and winced in happy agony as Eleanor dug in.

"The kids don't want to turn on their friends. But cash is always king. And they're having fun – there's no motivation to stop. Offer them something better than any of that."

"Won't that just encourage someone to pick up the mantle next year?" Caroline frowned and stood straight again as Eleanor removed her elbow and worked on her neck with her hands.

"All anonymous, and all off the books. Find one or two students whom you know can figure it out, and when it is, reward them richly. Give them more money the quicker they solve it. On the condition that if it comes out, all bets are off, and they'll suffer a similar consequence to whoever this monkey is."

"Eleanor I can't just go around handing out _cash_ to minors."

"Then arrange it through their parents. Do you want to end this or not?" Eleanor shrugged and stepped to the side, wrapping an arm at Caroline's waist and kissing her on the cheek before walking over to refill both their wine glasses.

Flora, Jenny, and Greg were busy with 'Alfie' the educational robot over near the sofa, and Lily was studying in the living room.

Caroline stirred the simmering red sauce. She looked over the assembly. "Dinner in five minutes. Greg will you go clean Flora and get her set at the table?"

He grinned up. "Happy to." He stood and raised Flora up over his head and slung her over his shoulder. "Off we go little bean." She giggled and waved at Eleanor as they passed, who waggled her fingers and smiled back.

Eleanor turned back to Caroline. "Jane claims she has to work on Valentine's Day next week. Can we have Zoe over?" She'd been considering how to bring up the holiday with Caroline, and making it a neutral occasion seemed the best bet.

"I don't see why not." Caroline didn't bat an eye. She wiped her hands on her apron and picked up an oven mitt. She opened the oven to check the garlic bread – judged it done and removed it. Eleanor picked up the salad and walked it out to the table, skirting Jenny who was busy collecting 'Alfie' cards scattered everywhere.

Eleanor beamed. "Wonderful. We can make hand-print Valentines with Flora. Zoe and the girls used to love doing that."

Lily came through and began assembling flatware from the drawer. "I still love doing it. As long as mine can be black."

Eleanor shoved her with her hip. "Oh how original teenage ennui of you."

"Ugh. You take the fun out of everything dark."

"True." Eleanor grabbed the wine glasses and followed Lily out to help her set the table.

Caroline's mobile buzzed on the counter top.

 _'Give me a date. Now.'_

She, sighed and smirked. "Sweetheart - Jane is demanding we pick a date for the hen party."

Eleanor's eyes lit and she set down the wine and walked back over to the kitchen. She held up a finger and picked up her own mobile. Head still down, she offered the first thought that came to mind as the sky-blue scarf Caroline had been wearing that day flashed in her head.

"Do you want to do it around our 'anniversary'? Third Saturday in March?"

Caroline looked up, surprised and then pleased. She checked her calendar and nodded.

 _'Third Saturday in March.'_

 _'Perfect. And stop frowning. You're going to have a great time.'_

 _'I'm sure.'_


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: After much consideration I've decided to keep these hen party chapters from the original S6 story. I wrote them with open spirit and good humor, and the two Carolines in one bar angle is too fun to skip. The new characters are crossed over from a LTIH story by an author who's since removed that story from the site. Here, I've changed the Caroline from her story's name to "Vicky" (short for Victoria, of course), to avoid confusion, but others are unchanged.

* * *

"You have to admit. There's something fascinating about those tattoos." Caroline, enjoying the night, tipped back her beer and ran her eyes over the young woman's midriff one more time. The subject of her study was busy on stage at the club with her two band mates, setting up mics, stands, amps, and enough accoutrements to foretell a promising show. She wore flattering faded jeans and a green t-shirt that was cut short and fit just right. As she moved it moved with her, and combined with the low rise of her jeans a very intricate and vibrant tattoo kept re-appearing.

Jane eyed her lusty friend and finished her own bottle. She set it down assertively and made meaningful eye contact with the bartender. She held up her index finger, gave a tilt of her head toward Caroline and raised a second finger. She was rewarded with a nod.

"You have to admit there's something fascinating about her girlfriend." Jane ran her eyes over the tall, full-figured middle aged blue-eyed blonde at the other end of the bar - who never took her eyes off the young woman on stage.

Jane and Gillian had been in charge of Caroline's half of the 'hen party,' which was rolling along quite nicely. Predictably Caroline had insisted she wanted a night in and a respectable candle lit dinner. Gillian insisted there would be plenty of time for that post-nuptials. Jane reminded her that she hadn't had a bad time, necessarily, the last time they'd all gone out. Eleanor had chimed in her support, insisting it would be fun – and for her benefit, Caroline's mind played back a highlight reel featuring Eleanor in a dark corner and the way she had looked at her all night that night, and she changed her mind quickly. "I suppose it's a novel change of pace," had been the spoken acquiescence, and off to the local club listings Jane had gone to find a suitable event.

Gillian rolled up next to them and bumped shoulders with a smiling Caroline. "Having a decent time?"

"I suppose." Caroline's was non-committal but her smile betrayed her.

Jane rolled her eyes and headed down the bar to the blonde woman who'd caught her eye, leaving Caroline and Gillian to chat.

Gillian bantered back and forth with her sister, teasing her about the wedding. But she followed Jane with interest over her shoulder, thinking, _'I know that body language,'_ as she chatted with the woman who bore a remarkable resemblance, and who didn't seem to have the time of day to give to Jane. But Jane persisted.

Caroline finally caught on to Gillian's distraction. "Something more interesting happening down there?"

"As a matter of fact, there is."

Caroline scowled, her expression and her movements now amplified as she finished her second beer. She turned and didn't notice anything - noticeable. "What are you on about?"

Not yet interested in stirring the pot, Gillian pointed her bottle at the older of the pair. "Thinking that woman looks a bit like you, is all."

Caroline remained unimpressed. "Sure. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Not exactly uncommon."

"You're not exactly common looking." Gillian ran her eyes up and down her sister in law in frank appraisal. "Don't let it go to your head, but you're not bad looking, all in all."

Caroline chuckled. "I suppose it's expected for you to say nice things to me at my last hen party."

"Let's hope it's your last one."

Caroline actually punched her shoulder - Gillian laughed, and Caroline shrugged. "Isn't that the expected behavior tonight?"

"Absolutely." Gillian held her empty bottle up the bartender, who met her eye. Gillian inclined her head to Caroline and tilted her chin up. The bartender smiled, clearly catching the drift of what was going on, and slid two more beers down the bar.

* * *

Caroline finished yet another beer and turned from the bar. She was beginning to lose track. The activity on the stage subsided and the young tattooed woman fronting the band waved as the audience took note and grew quiet. She leaned further into the spotlight and the mic, and her chin-length auburn hair came forward with her. She gave a smoldering glance to the crowd.

"Hi everyone. I'm Beth, the one on the posters for this gig, I suppose. And this is the band." She pointed to the bassist, then pointed to the drummer. The crowd, the vast majority women, was no longer silent and burst into rowdy shouts and applause.

"I guess it took a little convincing from my girlfriend, but apparently I'm not ready to retire quite yet." Beth looked over to the blonde-haired woman at the bar who had drawn so much attention from Jane, flanked by three other women of diverse ages, each bearing a remarkable resemblance to the musician. "That devastatingly gorgeous one in the center, the blonde, Vicky, she's the one to blame for tonight. And she's all mine, ladies."

Whistles, stomps, and cheers replied.

"And when inspiration strikes, well, she taught me to follow my heart. So we're, I suppose, warming up with this bit as we think about touring, and I hope you don't mind." Clearly, the crowd did not mind.

Across the dark club, Caroline saw Meg, Jill, and Zoe roll in, with no sign of Eleanor. She frowned and looked over to Jane, who shrugged.

The band opened with smooth chords from a song she thought she recognized, but she wasn't sure. Then they burst into the full punk beat and it was immediately familiar. She assumed it was a cover, but they were really nailing it. She stood between Jane and Gillian with a broad smile, admitting to herself that she was actually having a terrific time.

They played another couple songs, including a seriously sexy and brooding number, and took a break. As they came off stage Meg met Beth on the floor with a handshake and a slap on the back. She pulled Beth aside and they disappeared through a door marked 'staff only.'

Now back on stage, the band was making what appeared to be a cursory study of an ipad. Beth and the bassist poured over it for a moment, nodding, before handing it to the drummer. She scowled, tapped her feet, rapped on her rims and then nodded back at them. Beth and the bassist swapped instruments.

"Well we've got a special request here we've been working on for a couple days, and I think we can pull it off. I'm a sucker for love, after all." She looked down at Vicky. "So we've agreed to have a special guest join us."

Without Caroline noticing, Eleanor had appeared at the side of the stage, perfectly fitted jeans and t-shirt of her own. She quickly finished her beer and handed the empty bottle to Meg. Beth held out a hand and helped her up on, and she looked only for a moment like a deer in very bright headlights. She caught Caroline's eye, relaxed her shoulders, and gave a million-watt smile.

Beth looked the new addition over, then turned back to the crowd. "Now don't get too attached ladies. Eleanor's here celebrating her final days as a single woman." Good natured boos and more whistles and shouts rejoined, and Eleanor blushed.

Caroline looked at Gillian and inclined her head to the stage, eyes sparkling. "Do you have any idea what this is all about?"

Gillian took a long draw from her beer and shook her head in apparent boredom. "Not a clue."

Beth continued. "So we're going to do a throwback, but you know, not too far back." She held up the bass guitar now strapped around her neck. "I'm going to put my spin on it bring it up to date a bit."

Another round of clamoring approval from the crowd. Beth played a few bouncing staccato notes from the melody and a couple bars of the bass line for Eleanor to catch the key, and Eleanor nodded. Random whistles and shouts came from members of the audience who immediately recognized the tune.

Beth nodded back to the band, turned, and stepped up to the mic. She closed her eyes and sang out a cappella in a low, sultry tone and slow, quarter-speed pace with plenty of pause for approval from the crowd.

"If you change your mind, I'm the first in line, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me."

She began plucking out the "take a chance take a chance take a chance" backing vocal at speed on the bass guitar, and the crowd came to life. She added in a couple extra bars and met Eleanor's smile, and Eleanor stepped up beside her and did her best to match Beth's expert voice with the low end of a harmony as they picked up the vocal line again.

"If you need me let me know and I'll be around, if you got no place to go when you're feeling down."

The raven haired girl standing to the side and behind Beth was now rocking the lead guitar, and chimed in with the bouncing notes usually played by a keyboard. They rounded the brief time change and a few notes later the drums came to life.

Beth stepped to the side of the mic as Eleanor took over the fronting vocals for a few bars, but came back in shortly, the sexy shorter-haired master adding smoky support notes and then returning her attention to the rolling rhythm on the bass as they sang on.

"Honey I'm still free," Beth sang up to the sky, "Take a chance on meeeee," Eleanor looked right at her with a needful pout and responded in deep, honey smooth spoken word, "That's all I ask of you honey."

The momentum picked up again. Eleanor smiled wickedly and pointed right at Caroline as she belted out the solo, "'Cause you know I've got - so much that I want to do, when I dream I'm alone with you it's magic."

Beth and Eleanor swapped back and forth on the solos, coordinating with each other via eye contact. Beth met Vicky's eyes in the crowd as Eleanor met Caroline's, and on stage they put their heads side by side right at the mic and picked up the volume.

"You wanted to leave me there, afraid of a love affair - but I think you know, that I can't let go."

Beth leaned against Eleanor back to back as they hit the chorus, and by now everyone on and off the stage was singing along. She kept up the 'take a chance' back beat on the bass, and the effect truly made the song perfect for the club. Heads bobbed up and down in unison, with a couple brave souls clapping along in syncopation.

They swapped back and forth through the second verse, until Eleanor picked up the solo again.

"Let me tell you now - my love is strong enough, to last when things are rough, it's magic."

Beth answered with the second half, "You say that I waste my time, but I can't get you off my mind."

They came together again, "No I can't let go, 'cause I love you so."

The audience hung back on the verses, but gave robust support as the chorus continued, "If you're all alone, when the pretty birds have flown, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me."

The result essentially became a full-bar number and a lyrical roar, "Gonna do my very best baby can't you see, gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me."

Chaos descended as the song tapered off, with a few more well lubricated patrons continuing to sing after the music quit.

The applause continued and Beth took a small bow. She turned and held an arm out to her band and to Eleanor, who placed her palms together and gave a little bow, much to the renewed delight of the happy crowd. Beth took the mic from the stand and spoke over the din. "I don't think we anticipated this gig would be quite so lively, or that we'd meet new friends - but you never know, do you?"

Whistles, stomps, shouts and more applause continued.

"But before we go, let's get the other woman of the hour up here so you can properly embarrass her." Beth pointed directly at Caroline, whose eyes grew wide with terror.

The crowd doubled its volume and more than a hundred heads turned in expectation.

Jane nudged a frozen Caroline with her shoulder, who was experienced enough and mature enough to at least compose her facial features into something resembling self-assurance.

Then she caught Eleanor's adoring smirk from the stage, and her expression took on an authentic air of confidence. This deeply in love with that woman up there, how could she feel anything but? She drained the beer that had magically refilled, handed the empty bottle to Gillian, and stepped forward through the crowd, which parted readily.

Eleanor went to the side of the stage and took her hand as she stepped up. She held it fast as they stood under the blinding lights, and gave Eleanor a completely loving but completely murderous scowl before adopting a dazzling smile. It wasn't her first time in front of an audience, and there was no need to act like it was. She put her hand on Eleanor's hip, turned her, grabbed her and kissed her enthusiastically, much to the delight of the crowd.

"I present you Caroline and Eleanor. Give it up for true love, Harrogate." Beth let them have one more round of support, before they exited the stage, then grabbed the mic again. "Okay that's it for the first set. We'll be back in a bit for Saturday night – part two."


	22. Chapter 22

"Oh now that's the best idea you've had all night Jane. Because tequila makes Eleanor's clothes fall off." Meg titled her IPA at Jane, who started laughing and clinked.

Eleanor shrugged her shoulders and laughed along. Caroline's eyes grew very wide.

Gillian took a drink of her own beer, unaffected. "I've run into that problem myself."

Jill poked Meg in the ribs, but nodded at Eleanor. "I've collected your jacket from a stall in the loo - fished your earrings out of drinks. I even found your bra under one of our couch cushions once. And more than once picked your very expensive shoes up out of the corner of the bar."

Eleanor pouted. "Well you know I don't mean anything by it. I'm just having fun."

"Listen Eleanor. You can handle yourself at any champagne brunch. And I've certainly seen you go round for round with the best of them on your beloved Manhattans. But tequila... well – I'd like to remind you of the incident involving the table cloth?" Jill gave her a full 'mother knows best' scowl. "So, just watch it."

"Or don't!" Caroline smiled ferociously, wrapped an arm around Eleanor's waist and eagerly kissed her neck. Then she raised her beer to grab the bartender's attention.

The bartender caught it and first made eye contact with Jane, who nodded and winked. She nodded back and came over to stand across from Caroline at the bar. "Yeah?"

Caroline held up two fingers. "Two – wait – " she turned to the rest of the assembly. "Who else would like for me to buy them a tequila?"

Jane smiled at her adoringly and nodded, as did Meg. Jill and Zoe shook their heads, and Gillian responded with an 'of course, did you have to even ask,' shrug.

"Alright then. Alright." Caroline returned her attention to the bartender, waiting in familiar and exasperated patience as the group tripped over every lesbian hen party stereotype she'd ever witnessed. "Make that – " she turned back to recount the yes votes – "five shots of tequila."

"Anything in particular, love?"

Caroline frowned. Jane leaned forward. "Don Julio silver, please."

The bartender dragged her eyes over Jane and pointed the long silver bottle opener she held in her hand toward Caroline. "Right up."

Caroline turned back, clearly delighted with herself. Eleanor eyed her playfully but warily. Caroline had a tendency to overestimate her capacity when it came to spirits. It was all fun and games, until it wasn't. But the fun and games that came along with an unwound Caroline were delightful.

The music was at full volume by now, the band having concluded their final set at least half an hour ago. The woman with the band, Beth, her girlfriend, and their several friends and admirers rolled by.

"What? You're not going home yet." Caroline caught Beth's attention by standing right in front of her. "It's our hen party. Come and have a drink with us." She motioned with her arm for the company to join them.

Beth looked to Vicky, who seemed noncommittal but looked over at Caroline with a challenging smile. "What are you drinking?"

Jane grinned, made eye contact and answered on Caroline's behalf. "Tequila." She held the eye contact with Vicky and took a drink of beer.

Vikcy made a moderately intrigued face and Beth took that as a yes, they would stay for another round. "Alright then. Tequila it is."

Beth stepped up toward the bar, and Caroline waved her off as the bartender approached with their shots. "We've got this round." Caroline handed one directly to Eleanor, then to Beth and Vicky and then Meg. She kept the last for herself. "Ladies first." She looked over at Gillian and Jane. "So you'll have to wait."

The crowd laughed and then drank together as the unlucky remaining women considered each other, exchanging looks of extreme offense. Caroline cleared her throat and winced.

Eleanor smiled, grabbed Caroline's empty shot glass and placed it on the bar. "Easy tiger." She winked and handed her a glass of water that had been languishing.

Jane turned to the dark-haired, dark-eyed bartender and put out her hand. "Honey I don't even know your name. I'm Jane."

The bartender smiled back slyly, clearly not offended. "It's Susan."

Jane met her smile. "Well Susan, it looks like we'll need – " she turned to Beth's group to gather interest. None was forthcoming. "Two more shots. One for me – Jane," she pointed at herself and the bartender smiled indulgently, "and this one here, Gillian."

Susan again tapped her opener smartly on the bar. "You got it, sweetheart."

* * *

Vicky and Caroline stood near the bar with Eleanor and Beth, who were each having a very hard time holding themselves together. They kept looking furtively at each other in disbelief, in no way needing to speak about the astounding similarities between the two blond haired, blue-eyed women. They'd done their hair differently for the evening, Caroline's up in a ponytail, 'it's more hen party that way, I think', and Vicky's down framing her face - but otherwise they were practically identical.

Eleanor kept losing the plot of the conversation, and Beth seemed to be unable to speak at all, both of them trying not to stare hungrily at the other's girlfriend - and the two women together, standing side by side.

Jane elbowed her way in. "Hey let's get a picture, you four."

The women stood together and Jane snapped them with her mobile. She held it up to Eleanor and mouthed, "proof."

Eleanor nodded with wide eyes, gave a thumbs up, and yelled back over the din. "Nicely done."

Vicky and Caroline frowned identically and simultaneously, and Beth nearly spit her beer.

Vicky spoke first. "Proof of what?"

Eleanor opened her hands in an 'are you kidding me' gesture. "Can you not see it?"

Another simultaneous frown. Caroline responded. "See what?"

Eleanor shook her head, and Beth placed a consoling hand on her arm. "It's better this way, Eleanor. Just leave it be."

Eleanor nodded, but did not turn her attention from the twins in front of her. She thought this might very well be the best night of her life. She thought about her upcoming wedding night. _'No. We'll be exhausted. This is definitely far superior.'_ The tequila was kicking in and her thoughts involving the two blonde women wandered further.

Abruptly she turned to Meg. "I need some air." She grabbed her water and her older friend's arm and led them toward a less crowded area of the bar.

* * *

Jane stepped up to take her place next to Beth, though still ogling Vicky. "How long have you and Beth been together?"

The woman frowned. "It's been a few months now, hasn't it?"

Beth nodded, equally caught off-guard, but now grinning like a maniac. Vicky smiled back at her.

"Still in the honeymoon period?" Jane waggled her eyebrows and nudged Beth.

Caroline slapped Jane on her arm, hard. "That's why you were left out when I said 'ladies first.'"

Jane had started to drink and nearly spilled her beer. She put her sleeve up to her mouth. "Sorry." She winked, indicating that she was not, in fact, sorry.

Vicky looked over Jane's shoulder. "How long have you and Zoe been together?"

Jane paused, nonchalant. "Oh, maybe a year or so now."

Vicky nodded. "Good on you."

Caroline was beginning to feel quite excellent, and quite bold. She spared another appreciative glance at Beth and turned to Vicky. "And how did you two meet?"

"We're neighbors, actually." Beth ducked her head. "Lucky me."

"Lucky you indeed." Jane finished her beer.

"Excuse us." Caroline smiled and hooked her friend at the elbow. "I need to use the loo."

* * *

"What the _hell_ , Jane."

"What the _hell_ , what, Caroline?" Jane mimicked Caroline's tone and posture.

"The way you're slobbering over Vicky. And Zoe's right here. I mean, not that that matters. You shouldn't be hitting on Vicky – or the bartender – no matter where Zoe is." Caroline gave her a stern poke in the shoulder.

Jane made a bored face and came right back. "And what about you – staring at Beth like she was a braised lamb chop?"

"I did no such thing," Caroline whispered very loudly in her outrage.

"Oh you did. Just admit it. And it's fine. You don't mean anything by it." Jane shrugged and finished her beer.

"Do you?" Caroline raised her brow pointedly.

"I don't know."

Meg suddenly slammed into Jane, who, if she hadn't just finished it, really would have spilled her beer this time. Jane had no choice but to step to the side.

"Stop monopolizing Caroline. We haven't had a proper chat yet tonight." Clearly drunk, Meg smiled and bowed. "I haven't bought you a drink or really said congratulations. And I haven't told you yet what I'll have to do if you break Eleanor's heart." She put on a menacing look. "I don't care how fucking stunning you are."

"You won't have to do anything, Meg. Because Caroline will never break my heart. She's like a gorgeous white knight on a big, gorgeous white horse. She's perfect and we're going to be happy forever." Eleanor draped her arm around Caroline, leaned on her, and kissed her on the cheek.

Caroline nodded. "Yep. What she said."

"Well good." Meg raised her finger to make a point, and paused. "Right. I need to buy you a drink too."

Jane raised an eyebrow at Meg. "Yeah – how about you stick to buying Caroline a drink, champ."

Meg immediately straightened her posture and pointed her finger at Jane. Her diction was instantly crystal clear. "Watch yourself, girl. Don't make me finish this."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Oh don't do this with her Jane. Please, please don't do this."

Jane spread her arms wide in invitation, her long black ponytail swinging back and forth. "Whatever this is, I am most definitely going to do it."

Meg smiled and took her by the arm. "Your funeral, kid."

Caroline turned to Eleanor and immediately clamped a hand on her waist and pulled her closer.

"Meg is about to give Jane the worst hangover of her life." Eleanor sipped her beer and winced sympathetically. "Speaking of, how are you feeling, Caroline Dawson, soon to be Strathclyde?" She planted the tip of her index finger on Caroline's sternum and looked down at it, pausing to enjoy the view for a moment before looking back up into Caroline's fuzzy eyes.

"Mmmmm. I'm doing very well. Even better if I knew why you can't keep your eyes off of Vicky." Caroline tilted her head lazily to the side and planted her index finger on Eleanor's sternum.

"You're thick. Completely thick." Eleanor shook her long auburn hair. "She looks exactly like you, darling."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "You keep saying that. And you're the smartest woman I know. So it must be true." She played with the top button of Eleanor's shirt that had appeared after her success on stage. "Now. About that tequila and your clothes." Completely focused, she slipped the top button open and just the burgundy lace trim of Eleanor's bra appeared. Caroline smiled in self-satisfaction. Eleanor studied the top of Caroline's head and exhaled in anticipation.

A raucous, loud cheer erupted at the bar and they both glanced over, stopping their conversation.

"That will most definitely be Meg and Jane." Eleanor shook her head again.

Caroline grimaced. "This isn't going to end well for my friend Jane, is it?"

"Our friend Jane. And no. It's not."

* * *

As a gift, Jane, Gillian, and the rest of their friends had chipped in to give Caroline and Eleanor a night at a hotel after the party, insisting that they'd want their privacy. Caroline had no idea how right they had been until she dragged Eleanor into the hotel room, barely able to stop herself from assaulting her while they rode the lift.

The door to the room slammed shut behind them, and Caroline turned to Eleanor, already working her buttons – the ones remaining that she hadn't already undone.

She ran her hands over Eleanor's shoulders and pushed her shirt down to her waist, binding her in it and diving in to kiss her collarbone. She was drunk, and sloppy, but Eleanor didn't seem to mind at all. Caroline nipped at her collarbone now, where it met her neck, and Eleanor let out a sharp, laughing gasp.

In response Caroline ripped Eleanor out of her shirt and pushed her toward the bed. But before Eleanor fell back Caroline wrapped her arm around her waist and pulled her close. As they kissed, Caroline could feel Eleanor's breathing hitch and the involuntary contractions of her stomach muscles. It unhinged her. She crashed Eleanor on to the bed and looked down. "I think perhaps I like tequila."


	23. Chapter 23

_There's got to be a morning after..._

* * *

"Where are my shoes?" Eleanor poked around under the bed. Caroline groaned but vocalized no other response.

"You may like tequila, darling, but I don't think it returns the sentiment." Eleanor sat on the side of the bed and laid a hand on Caroline's shoulder. She frowned. "Hold on."

Through closed eyes and a blistering, foggy head Caroline heard her less-hungover girlfriend rustling in the en-suite. She emerged with a cool, damp washcloth and a glass of something fizzing. She handed Caroline an assortment of pills. "Bi-carb for the stomach, ibuprofen for your head, and vitamin C for your spirit."

"You are a miracle."

"I know." Eleanor laid a kiss and then the washcloth on Caroline's forehead. She stood and scowled. "And we need to stop partying like teenagers. Personally, I blame Meg. She always seems to be present on the night before a hangover."

She continued her monologue, hands on her hips. "Do not tell me that my very favorite high top red converse are somewhere unknown on the streets of Harrogate." She shook her head gently, regretted the action, and began internally chastising herself about her shoes.

Caroline polished Eleanor's concoction and winced, eyes still shut tight as she laid back down on sheets that felt hot and scratchy. "Well if last night is what happens when you drink tequila, I will buy you a new pair of shoes. Several new pairs, in fact." Even in her current state, Caroline smiled recalling the latter half of the previous evening. Eleanor had been positively – inspired.

"Decent of you, but I don't think yours should be a command performance, judging by your state this morning. Though last night was definitely - remarkable." Eleanor laid on the bed next to Caroline, on top of the duvet. She fanned herself for a second, felt for the phone at the side table, picked it up and hit zero.

"Yes good morning."

"No, actually, this is Ms. Strathclyde in 420. Mr. Strathclyde is indisposed. And we're going to need a late check out."

"Wonderful. Thank you." She replaced the handset awkwardly and sighed, draping one arm over her head. She wrapped Caroline's hand in hers and they fell blissfully back asleep.

* * *

Jane groaned and laid a hand over her head, wanting to open her eyes because she had no idea where she was, and she was desperately curious. It seemed familiar. But so much light. She kept her eyes closed and touched her cheek tenderly. _'Ow.'_

"Oy – you've looked better. Shove over." Lawrence tossed Jane's legs off the couch, plunked down with a bowl of cereal, and flipped on the tele.

"Off. Now. Sound off now. That's an order." Jane tried to sound stern.

"Make me." Lawrence looked over, amused.

Jane raised an index finger. "Always your problem, Elliott. Short sighted."

"Yeah, and?" Lawrence flipped through the channels, finally settling on some sort of anime that scrolled on the screen in a way that multiplied Jane's headache.

"In a few hours, I will feel much better. And in a few days, you will be a sad little cadet."

"Ugh." Lawrence grunted back and clicked the volume down a bit. "Fine way to appreciate hospitality, after your girlfriend chucks you out for being a prat."

Jane groaned again.

"Yeah who's short sighted now." Lawrence laughed and then shouted as Jane poked him with her foot, spilling his cereal.

"Don't try to be clever. Doesn't suit you."

"You neither. You were in a state last night. Not surprised it's a rough morning. What you going to do about your bird, who went and dumped you at the hen party?"

"Again. Lawrence. You are not funny." Jane sat up, and immediately sat back against the couch and re-closed her eyes. "But you will be forgiven if you have anything in this flat that can be served hot and greasy."

"Eh." He finished his cereal and looked over, took Jane in with a sympathetic glance. "Frozen pizza. And red beer too, if you think that will help."

"I'm not ruling anything out." Jane kept her eyes closed and sighed. She stood and made her way into the kitchen, which for a single boy on his own could have looked much worse. Not that Caroline would have been handing out compliments. "Hey how's your dad? Pay his fine yet and get himself sorted?"

Lawrence strolled in and tossed his cereal bowl in the sink. "Nah. 'Course not. He's going to court. Saying something about his rights and liberties and some other words I know aren't going to get him far."

"I'm not too familiar, but sounds enough like him."

"Well at least he's got someone representing him. Much of a wanker as dad is, but with a bunch of education behind it."

"Typical." Jane flipped on the oven and slid a frozen pizza onto a beat-up baking pan. She walked over to the fridge in hopes of finding a sports drink. Her eyes fell on the red beer Lawrence mentioned and she shrugged.

* * *

"Meg, exactly how many poor young women have you victimized with the Rainbow Roll?" Jill slapped a full English breakfast in front of her wife, who was scowling at her coffee as she simultaneously chugged a glass of orange juice.

"Well, my love, it's fewer than a dozen. But she's only the second one try to go two rounds."

Jill chuckled. "And I'm the only one to finish two rounds. Which was a little more than you bargained for, wasn't it? I'm glad she fell off the stool when that nice bartender Susan re-racked. Poor wisp of a thing, that Jane. Bet she's having a rough morning." She shook her head sadly, then slapped Meg upside the head. "Eat and you'll feel better. And then you are going to text and apologize to your new friend Jane, if she'll speak to you."

"Yes ma'am." Meg gave a salute and tucked in gratefully.

* * *

Caroline and Eleanor waved half-heartedly to Flora from behind two very large and very dark pairs of sunglasses. Flora and her band of merry toddler friends were ineffectually chasing a mini football around a small coned off pitch.

"This is why people don't have three year olds at age forty-nine." Eyes closed, Caroline was grateful for the sunglasses as she sipped gingerly at her orange Gatorade.

"This is why people don't take shots of tequila at age forty-eight." Eleanor grabbed the bottle and finished it.

Gillian wandered up and fake-punched Caroline in the shoulder and saw the scowl despite the glasses. "How's it going, 'sis? Gonna make it to the second half of the match?"

Much to Caroline's frustration Gillian seemed almost chipper. Which was lucky, because after repeated attempts to buckle Flora into Gillian's land rover, Caroline had given up on being a competent parent in any way and turned the chore over to her happily.

"I consider all of this part of your best woman duties." Caroline raised her glasses to make eye contact. She regretted it immediately as the afternoon sun met her eyes directly, and promptly replaced them.

"Well you two certainly made the best of things, didn't you?" Gillian smirked.

From behind her D and Gs, Eleanor stared at the pitch, arms crossed, not nearly enough energy to pay attention to the conversation.

Gillian continued. "Partied hard enough to cause collateral damage. And that's a rare feat."

Caroline looked over with interest. "What do you mean, collateral damage?"

Gillian made a very surprised face. "Oh that's right. You and Lady Eleanor over there skipped out before it all got good."

Still nothing from Eleanor and her dark sunglasses, but Caroline urged her on. "Well?"

"I think your Jane is going to have a lot of apologizing to do to Zoe, and a sore jaw to boot."

Eleanor's sunglasses swiveled as Gillian now had her full attention.

Caroline looked between them with a pained face. "There's no need to draw it out for effect, Gillian."

"So Jane got a little fresh with the bartender when she came over the bar to help her get her footing after taking some shots with Meg. And Zoe didn't take well to it."

Now Eleanor slowly removed her sunglasses and stared silently at Gillian.

"Ah, right then." Gillian glanced at Caroline nervously. "Then there might have been a bit of shouting. And a bit more rowdiness from the assorted patrons. But I eh – managed to wrangle Zoe. Real mess. Took her home and sorted her, so you know, I think that was the right thing to do?"

Eleanor used most of her remaining energy to smile at Gillian. "It was absolutely the right thing Gillian, thank you." She fixed Caroline with an evil look. "Your friend Jane and I will be having words later. And if you'll excuse me I have a phone call to make."

Caroline turned to Gillian, who winced. "That's not all gonna end up well, is it?"

Caroline replaced her sunglasses, crossed her arms, and looked back at the pitch. "Nope."

* * *

"Well, thanks, mate." Jane gave Lawrence a grateful shove at the door to what had previously been her flat.

"Yeah any time. But you know you owe me now."

"No - now we're settled because I got you out of after-hours duty last month when that cute girl made eyes at you during a traffic stop and you begged me desperately to swap so you could meet her and her friends at the pub she mentioned."

Lawrence gave a Caroline-like dark scowl but nodded. "Fine then."

Jane smiled thinly. "And keep that couch available. I think I might be back soon, if my clearing memory is spot-on." She touched her jaw again tenderly.

Lawrence shook his head. "Sorry about that. Crash whenever. Text first though."

Jane smirked. "What, to make sure you don't have a girl here?"

Lawrence was visibly offended. "What like you have a way with women? Not got the high ground today, so mind yourself."

"When did you get cheeky?"

"While you were busy being an idiot."

"I don't have any more time for this."

"Fine. Ta. See you soon." Lawrence shrugged his shoulders with a snicker.

"Ta." Jane turned and left, none too confident that he was wrong.

She took the stairs slowly and stopped at the landing as her phone buzzed.

 _'How's the day treating you. Up for another Rainbow Roll?'_

Jane ran a hand through her hair. _'No thank you Meg. I think one managed me enough trouble.'_

 _'Eleanor warned you.'_

 _'Fair enough. But I'm in deep.'_

 _'Come over for dinner tonight. Jill feels she needs to apologize on my behalf, and that means food.'_

 _'I don't turn down food.'_

 _'Good girl. 6pm. Don't be late.'_

Meg sent along the address and turned to Jill. "Poor girl."

* * *

"You reckon the girls had fun last night?" Alan gazed out over the garden, tea in hand, and then turned to Celia. "Sounds like they were meaning to."

"I'm sure they did. Caroline does whatever she means to do, one way or the other." Celia's expression was softer than her words, and she looked out as well. It was a mild Sunday afternoon and she and Alan were enjoying the quiet of an empty house.

"Can't help but be a little jealous." His eyes twinkled.

"You and Harry get up to it often enough that I'd think you wouldn't need a special occasion."

Alan laughed. "Well that's true. Wish Maurice were here with us. Of course he was always the troublemaker."

"Nah. It's you, you're the one and you know it." She smiled at him. "You can talk anyone into almost anything, with your handsome smile." She reached over and patted his hand. "Charm your way into trouble and then back out again."

He raised his tea cup. "Oh. It's just you who thinks that, and I'm glad you do."

"That's right."

They were silent again, until Alan got up the nerve to say what he wanted to say. "I'm glad that you're going to come with me. To Caroline and Eleanor's wedding. It's what's right."

"Well you keep saying that. I suppose you've managed to convince me."

"Good thing. I'm proud of you Celia."

She frowned over.

"Well I am."

"Alright then. And have they said anything to you, about what's going to happen? At this wedding?"

"No. Mum's the word. Haven't a clue."

"Sure as I'm sitting here that woman will have a hand in something extravagant about it. Going to need to show us all up."

"That woman?" Alan looked over in confusion. "You mean Eleanor's mother?" He shook his head. "Mayhap. But I don't think she will if Eleanor has anything to say about it."

"Eleanor gets her high and mighty ways from somewhere. And it's not from her father, that's certain."

"And Caroline gets her ways from somewhere too. We're all the sum of our parts, true enough. But you heard the girl – she's none too keen on her mum, as far as the wedding business goes."

"Well women like Margaret have a way of doing what they want, don't they?" Celia finished her tea and set the cup down, punctuating her statement with authority.

"I won't fight you on that, love." Alan favored her with a loving smile and raised his own tea cup. "Wouldn't dream of fighting you on that."

"Hmph." Celia stood as they heard the sound of crunching gravel and Gillian's Land Rover in the drive. "That'll be the all the girls then. Better go see how they made out."

Alan stood with a smile and tugged at his sweater vest. "Oh I bet they've got a good story or two to share."


	24. Chapter 24

"Look I just don't care, mother. I won't do this with you. Again. That's the beginning and the end of it. You can do what you want for the girls. I hope you will. And they'll do what they want, it's all up to them. Lily's been clear on her intentions. You can make her wait until she's twenty-one or fifty-one, but she's more stubborn than either of us put together. But for the last time, my marriage and finances aren't your concern."

From her study, Caroline worked extremely hard not to hear, or rather not to listen to, the conversation between Eleanor and her mother. It wasn't difficult to put the pieces together. She wondered why and for how long Eleanor had been keeping them to herself. It didn't bother her, per se, but it didn't _not_ bother her. She supposed that Eleanor talking about it so freely in front of her now sent a clear message.

"Look. As far as I'm concerned, and as far as Caroline is concerned, there is no issue. I won't have her sign anything. You'll need to do whatever you need to do on your side, because I'm not lifting a finger or a pen and neither is she. So no. I will not see you this week or this weekend. I'm not in charge of what you have or haven't set up with the solicitors and what you might have already had them draw up."

Caroline set down the spreadsheet she'd really been paying no attention to, but kept her glasses on in an attempt to be less obvious about the fact that she was now of course paying complete attention to Eleanor's side of the conversation.

Eleanor was puttering in the kitchen getting dinner together. Caroline had brought work home to be with her, rather than stay late at the school. Greg would be over with Flora within the hour.

"Hyperbole isn't necessary. Jonathan is more than capable to handle things. Everything. You know that. And it's not my problem if you don't like Bella."

"Well that's very nice that you think Caroline is quite sensible. I agree completely."

"I'm sorry, but actually, I will tell her you said that."

Caroline quickly turned to her papers and smiled to herself as she saw Eleanor turn to see how much attention she was or wasn't paying. She bent over the desk and feigned complete absorption in her work.

"Yes. And since there's nothing you can do to force my hand, it is the end of the conversation. I'm sorry to disappoint you, mother, I really am - one more time."

"I am not being dramatic." Contrary to her statement, Eleanor sighed dramatically.

"Yes. We are still looking for a house."

"No. We will never consider moving up there."

Caroline exhaled discreetly.

"I know Caroline gets on well with Bella. That's not the point." Eleanor had stopped her progress on dinner. She placed a hand on the top of her head and stared down at the sink.

Caroline smiled and decided the time for pretending ignorance had passed. She took off her glasses and stood. Eleanor turned toward her and made an exasperated and pained face. She silently mouthed "sorry."

She walked directly to Eleanor, placed a hand on her hip and leaned in to kiss the cheek opposite of her mobile. She lingered and smiled against her skin until she grinned, placed a hand on her stomach, and pushed her away.

Caroline glanced at the half-chopped tomatoes and pulled the colander of lettuce from the sink.

Eleanor had been silent for a moment, and with Caroline now on the dinner case she paced from the kitchen toward the dining room, nodding. Apparently the discussion portion of the call had concluded.

"Yes. Yes of course. I will. Yes. Yes mother. I love you too. Tell Daddy hello, tell him I love him."

"Okay. Bye."

She clicked off and held both hands at her sides for a moment, staring at the garden with her back toward Caroline and exuding equal parts defiance and defeat.

Caroline worked quietly on the salad.

The issue of money had silently defined large parts of their relationship since the engagement and the decision to move into a new home. Caroline, for most of her life, had been fine when it came to finance. Tight at times, but stable, and able to maintain the life she'd wanted for herself and for the boys, and now Flora.

Eleanor had seemed quite her equal that way, before she'd known better. Before money had been something they'd talked about. Before Caroline had been subjected to the Strathclyde culture. She'd never assumed, even while she was on the board at Sulgrave Heath, that Eleanor had access to the scope of resources that she did.

In all honesty her feelings weren't cut and dried about any of it. She understood that there were strings attached, but she also thought she understood what it might mean to not worry about money at all – to never worry about making a mortgage payment again. It had its attractions. It had never been a part of whether or not she wanted to marry Eleanor. But Caroline also wasn't the kind of woman to dismiss options out of hand. But right now she felt it was Eleanor's decision, because many of the consequences of it would fall on her shoulders, no matter how equal their union.

Eleanor wrapped her from behind in a hug and laid a head on her shoulder. "Are you sick of it yet? My family?"

"Perhaps. But I'm not marrying your family. I'm marrying you. And they just come along for the ride, don't they?"

"Yes." Eleanor's voice was muffled in Caroline's hair. "Thanks for finishing dinner. I can take over again. I know you've work to do still."

"I do. But we need to talk. About all of this. I can't pretend I didn't hear your end of the conversation, and I don't think I should."

Eleanor stepped back. "Mother's been after me about us putting together a pre-nup."

"I see." Caroline set down her knife and turned to face her. "Okay." She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and placed one on each of Eleanor's hips. "Do you want to? I heard what you said to your mother. But if you're dismissing that option without talking to me first, you're making decisions for both of us here. Rather _Caroline_ of you, isn't it?" Her smile said 'gotcha.'

Eleanor's in return said, 'fine.' "I don't want my family's money to be a part of our lives. And we're fine without any of it. I meant it, what I said about the Anadyne sale. We're going to do well. We don't need to worry about landing on our feet."

Caroline nodded slowly. "This isn't…." She paused and looked at the ground, now shaking her head as she looked up. "Okay. So we're going to need to be just a little more specific. I have to know details, it's just how I am. And if we're going to buy a house together – "

" _When_ we buy a house together."

"Yes when we buy the house – well we're going to have to do this sometime, aren't we? And no time like the present. So when you say 'do well,' Eleanor, I want to know exactly what that means. I want to figure some things out with you. Because you're going to work a while longer, and so am I. But we're not just starting out together like a couple of kids. And if what I've been planning for the long term needs to change – or - can – change, then I want to know that."

Eleanor exhaled and leaned against her. "You're so sensible. And these days, so reasonable."

"These days?"

"Yes you haven't always been. Don't deny it." She wrapped her arms Caroline's neck as she leaned on her.

Caroline pushed Eleanor's hips backward. "Nope. We're talking."

Eleanor backed away, crossed her arms, frowned and pouted. "Fine." She exhaled and uncrossed her arms and skirted the kitchen island, a new frown beginning and settling in. It began to morph into a familiar expression from long ago, before they'd begun to date, one often worn when she sat on the board and disapproved of Caroline's direction. Haughty and defensive - entitled.

Shoulders back, she placed her fists in the pockets of her black trousers and looked right at Caroline across the counter. "We're independently wealthy. If that's how you'd like it to stay. With or without the family. We're fine to live as we are currently if we sell our houses, buy a new one, and decide to retire completely. You can be a full time mum if you'd like. We both can. Or, we're fine if we keep _all_ the houses and buy a new one. Frankly, we can do whatever we want." Her expression finished with a silent, 'take that.'

"Ah." Caroline looked down at the cutting board and slowly set down her knife. She felt winded, and she felt uncertain. Even with his novel and the proceeds she'd been very equal to John, an equal contributor to the household, once she'd paid off her own obligations from school. This was something new entirely, a new form of trust and potential entanglement that was challenging how she had always defined her own independence and sense of worth in what she brought to the relationship. But a full time mum to Flora? She'd never really considered it an option, and now that she could, was it really what she wanted?

Eleanor's mask of defiance and defense remained as Caroline pondered in silence, and she continued. "I left Oxford with no debt. It was all paid by my parents. I was young and more than happy to accept their help. It never crossed my mind not to. Emma made a clean break with me financially, but she did her part for the girls before she did. I do have my pride, Caroline, but when it comes to June and Lily I'm shameless. They're meant to have every opportunity I can give them."

Caroline nodded, still not looking at Eleanor. "No. No – of course. I don't fault you for that." She looked up, eyes tentative and wheels spinning. "I'd do the same thing."

Eleanor's tight lips and shoulders relaxed. Caroline looked back down and resumed chopping, slowly, now, and thought about what it would mean to completely redefine her relationship to money and the way she'd come see her position, socioeconomically. To stand in the very shoes of people she'd always judged, just a little bit, even if they had been paying her salary. She'd orbited money, real money, but she never really thought she'd have to dirty her hands in it. Again Flora crossed her mind. Do I want to be a full time mum? And when she starts school, what then?

"Everything can change, darling. Or nothing can change. That's our decision to make together."

"Right." Caroline kept her eyes on the cutting board, still slicing, though they already had far too many tomatoes for the salad. She realized it, finally, and stopped. She put down the knife again and again wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. She reached forward and drank from her wine glass before looking back over to Eleanor.

When she did, Eleanor was smiling, gently. Watching her and waiting, air of defiance gone.

"What are you smiling at?"

"You."

"Well that's plain. Why?"

"Because I reminded myself that I trust you," answered Eleanor. "And I'm so relieved to be dealing with this together. I don't know how I thought this was all going to go and so I avoided it. And now here we are, and the sky hasn't fallen."

Caroline crossed her arms now and leaned a hip on the counter. "And is it going at all as you thought it might?"

"Roughly, yes."

"Lady Eleanor always seems to have things go as she thought they would, doesn't she?"

Eleanor's eyes sparked. "Caution flag, calling me Lady Eleanor right now."

"You're not the only one who knows how to create an advantage." Caroline tilted her head, challenging.

Now Eleanor's smile thinned and her own brown eyes narrowed. She didn't move, but her body seemed to come much closer to Caroline's as they faced each other. "Do we still have to keep talking?"

Caroline laughed and turned to the cupboard, opened it and grabbed a box of dry polenta. _Greg will be here soon with Flora. Pity we don't have another hour._

"Yes. We do." She set the box down next to the stove and pulled a pot from the rack below. She turned and picked up Eleanor's wine glass that she'd abandoned, and walked it over to her. She fingered the placket of Eleanor's starched white button down, her expression serious and thoughtful. "We really are a family now, aren't we?"

She looked right through Eleanor, full of realization and innocent revelation, and it made Eleanor weak in the knees. When Caroline delivered a direct shot, for better or for worse, her aim was always devastatingly true. And it was particularly so when she had no idea she was doing it.

Eleanor blinked. She cleared her throat, her voice was low as she started to speak. "Yes. And I want to share what I have with you, as much as I want to share who I am. Because they go together. I'd hand everything over to you tomorrow, if you wanted."

"Right." Caroline's eyes darted around Eleanor's face. Without another word she turned and walked back to the stove, grabbed the pot, added water and set to work on the polenta.

Eleanor smirked happily, shook herself mentally and switched gears along with Caroline. She went to the refrigerator and plucked out an assortment of fresh herbs. She moved the tomatoes to the drain board to sweat, picked up a knife and started to chiffonade the basil, as lost in thought as Caroline was.

As she waited for the water to boil, Caroline turned back to Eleanor, concentration written all over her face as she weighed options. "So what's the deal on the pre-nup? What is it? What does it mean if we do it, and what does it mean if we don't do it?"

"Well, for as complicated as it is, it's also very simple. If you don't sign, I get nothing of the estate, and therefore neither do you. If you do sign, I get half and Jonathan gets half, after all the girls are taken care of. But your claims still remain… circumscribed, I suppose."

Wooden spoon in hand, Caroline placed it on her hip. "Keep it all in the family, then?"

Eleanor rolled her eyes in acknowledgement. "It's how the wealthy stay that way, and I don't want a part of it. We'll be fine, you and I, but we're nothing like Mum and Dad."

"And if I don't sign, and you're officially out, what happens then?"

"It all goes to Jonathan, and indirectly Bella. They've been married almost thirty years now and she's through most of her hoops. And mother is loathe to consider that possibility - Bella the sole lady of the manor." Eleanor's eyes twinkled at Margaret's despair.

So did Caroline's. "Almost worth it to have Margaret put up with it all, isn't it?" She smiled as she pointed the spoon at Eleanor.

"Absolutely." Eleanor shrugged. "We don't have to decide now. I don't want it, but if you do, it's fine and you can tell me that. You're right. This is our decision to make together."

It was Caroline's chance to feel overwhelmed by Eleanor's openness. She turned back and began adding the polenta, stirring and sitting with all the feelings she'd had already that evening.

"Take your time with it, Lady Caroline. Odds are Mum will have our solicitor at the wedding if we don't move on it beforehand, documents and pen at the ready for your waiting signature."

Caroline turned, eyes wide.

Eleanor winked. "I'm serious."


	25. Chapter 25

"Well, I have an internship lined up at Saatchi starting this summer." William smacked a scoop of mashed potatoes on his plate next to the pot roast and smiled indulgently at Celia. "It pays almost nothing, but it pays. So I'm not successfully a starving artist yet. Not a starving artist at all, really. Because I'm actually doing curating and gallery administration."

Caroline refilled his wine glass for him and looked pointedly at Celia. "We're quite proud of William, aren't we Mum?"

"Yes. Yes. No need to pile on." Celia waved her own wine glass at Caroline and took a drink. "It's my job to ask questions and be a concerned gran."

William put his hand over hers and squeezed it. "Yes it is. And I hope I've answered them all well and given you great assurance."

Lawrence rolled his eyes. "Yes. Assurance. And all those other big brilliant words you learned in Tel Aviv."

Flora giggled every time anyone said 'Tel Aviv,' and she did so again now. Lawrence poked toward her with his fork and made a gremlin face, which she tried to return.

William sneered good naturedly at his little brother. "I knew that one before you could even put a sentence together. And now I can frustrate you in two different languages." There was still a tension between them, but aging out of teenage hormones had smoothed the rougher edges. Lawrence finding himself and establishing his own relationship with Caroline had also helped things along considerably.

Eleanor frowned up from her peas thoughtfully. "Where are you living in London?"

"Mates and I will be cramming into a flat in Clapham." He tilted his head back and forth non-committally.

"Well if you want you can stay at the flat in Kensington anytime you'd like, or the whole time until you decide if you're going to stay." Eleanor looked up from cutting her meat. "If you don't mind an occasional visitor when June pops in, or the Strathclydes come calling." She smiled at him as his face lit. "And I know that you and Dad already get along famously. I wouldn't put it past him to make up an excuse just to come down and spend time with you. Get a back of the house at the Saatchi."

Lawrence shook his head, but William clearly had no problem with the idea. "That's really decent of you. I appreciate it. And I might take you up on it."

Caroline moved her peas around her plate. She said nothing but smiled.

"Ladies I know it might not come in the post, but I do keep looking for that wedding invitation." Alan's eyes twinkled and he looked between Caroline and Eleanor pointedly.

The women winced at each other, exchanged a silent decision. Caroline responded. "We're a bit stuck." She wrinkled her nose.

"On what then?" Celia smiled up blandly.

"Everything." Eleanor went ahead and interjected.

Caroline spoke again as Eleanor leaned over to help Flora retrieve her sparkly plastic cup that she'd previously moved out of reach during an inexplicable but blessedly short fit from the toddler. "Neither one of us is on our first time around. We don't want something extravagant, but we do want something. You two know how it is. You pick a venue and it seems too big. You decide to go smaller and it seems too small."

"Oh you're right about that. We did have a terrible time, as you all know." Alan finished his meal and laid his silverware down on the plate. He gestured with his hands recalling similar frustrations. "First you want to invite everyone and their mother. Then you realize if you do that you have to invite their mothers as well. So you pare down and then you start wondering how many folks you're going to offend."

"It's not my side that's the problem there, is it darling?" Caroline gave Eleanor a pointed look over the rim of her water glass as she drank.

"Oh yes. Insightful diagnosis. You quite got me on that." Eleanor rolled her eyes and Lawrence laughed, as did Celia. "I want to chuck it all and just go on holiday."

"There's not time for that until June at least. And that only brings up where we'd go." Caroline shook her head. "And don't forget that Ginika is rather keen to meet you."

"Well America is on the books for later, if she can't make it over here because we're muddled. But I need to go to Majorca." Eleanor responded as though the conversation were closed.

Caroline shook her head again. "Istanbul."

"Well you can't get married in either of those exotic places, I don't think girls. So I guess the honeymoon is no less a sore spot." Celia waved her hand and looked exasperated. "And please don't get married in America." She wrinkled her nose.

"Details." Eleanor smiled over at Caroline, who smiled back brightly.

"I have a funny feeling you two will find a way to work out it out." William laughed at them and stood with his plate. "Thanks for dinner Mum."

Lawrence followed suit. "Too much of a big man for Xbox these days? Got Call of Duty Black Ops going. Your profile still live?"

William smirked shyly. "Tel Aviv does have the internet, little brother. And I've been busy dominating Premiere League in FIFA. Picked up France last month."

Lawrence looked suitably impressed and his face showed it. "Alright then. Let's go."

Alan nudged Celia. "You mind if I watch, love?"

She shook her head and set her napkin on the table. "Knock yourself out dear."

Happily, the boys filed after each other into the kitchen, each well trained and stacking their dishes before heading into the living room and virtual oblivion until Caroline dragged them back out again or left them to their own devices.

"Lucky Greg's not here or we'd never see the lot again." Celia stacked her own plate and took Eleanor's as she handed it to her.

"Good thing Lily's not here, or they'd all find themselves 20£ lighter at the end of the night."

Caroline chuckled. "I don't think Lawrence will ever learn his lesson there. Can't stand to think that a girl will beat him every time."

Eleanor popped the leftovers in the fridge and wiped her hands and headed back into the dining room to liberate a squirming Flora from her chair. "Lily's spent more time than I care to think about customizing her Spartan. She's got it to some sort of crazy spec mode that Lawrence can't crack though. Something about level grinding."

Eleanor lifted Flora down and gave a stern look as she stared longingly at the motorized Jeep that Eleanor had gotten for her 3rd birthday. Caroline had objected fiercely, but Eleanor insisted that the fact she'd chosen the Jeep model rather than the Land Rover model had made up for any inconvenience the toy might cause.

Celia practically crossed her eyes. "Level grinding. Sounds positively lascivious. The world's certainly moved on, hasn't it? But I think in this case I'm more than glad to be left behind."

Hands on her hips, Flora stared at the Jeep with the same loving determination as her mother staring at a wine rack. Eleanor plucked her up on her hip and carried her into the kitchen to avoid any further temptation. Caroline was still on the fence, and had not been soothed in her ire by Flora's poor initial steering skills and the resulting damage to the early bulbs just coming up in the garden. Flora's shouts of 'beep beep' had not been sufficient warning for them to clear out of the way.

She laid a hand on Celia's shoulder. "That makes two of us." She clicked the washer shut and started it. "Cup of tea?"

Celia smiled and nodded. Eleanor shook her head. "Thanks, no - heading home. Lily will be back from study group by now."

Caroline frowned. "Right."

Celia grabbed the kettle. "I'll start the water."

Eleanor walked back over to Flora, strolled hand in hand with her down the hallway, Caroline following the both of them to the door.

Eleanor knelt and wrapped her hands across Flora's stomach and wiggled her. "Hugs and then see you tomorrow, yes?"

Flora nodded with a big smile and held out her arms. "Why do you have to go? I don't want you to."

"I don't want to go either. Just a few more months like this, okay?" Eleanor scowled up and Caroline, and Caroline couldn't help a small sniff. Perhaps sharing a home was much longer overdue than she'd thought.

Flora studied the floor and laid a hand on Eleanor's, then wrapped her neck up in a hug. "Okay. Bye El."

Caroline looked down at her daughter with a warm smile. "Can you go help your gran with tea?"

"Yep." Flora walked into the kitchen and the women both watched her go.

Eleanor crossed her arms and turned to Caroline. "Phil called. The 'dream house' is on the market next week and he says we have perhaps a day or two to 'pluck it from other unwitting buyers like an early spring jonquil.'"

Caroline laughed. "What's the deal there? Sounds a little light in his loafers, when he's not constantly hitting on one of us."

Eleanor laughed back. "I have no idea, really. But I do think he's harmless. I spoke with a couple previous clients and they're all ecstatic."

"I know you've vetted him well." Caroline crossed her own arms and smiled at Eleanor. "But he's always worthy of note, one way or the other."

Eleanor's eyes sparkled. She leaned forward just slightly. "So we have twenty-four hours, Caroline Dawson, to lock down our dream house. Can you make time tomorrow after school?"

Caroline nodded. "I don't. But I can make time."

"Glad to hear it." Eleanor leaned forward further. "See you tomorrow afternoon."

Caroline squeezed her hips as they kissed, then pulled her into a hug. "Believe it or not, I am looking forward to sharing a home with you, Ms. Strathclyde."

"I believe it. Who wouldn't?" Eleanor flipped her fingertip onto Caroline's nose and turned to collect her coat. "Hasta manana."

Caroline narrowed her eyes. "Nope. Istanbul."

"We'll see." Eleanor shrugged and clicked the door shut behind her.

Caroline turned, shaking her head and smiling as she walked back toward the kitchen.

* * *

The following day they sat parked in the driveway of the alleged dream home. Caroline looked over to Eleanor, surprised at how well the house looked to her already. "I think Phil is off to a good start."

Perched at the end of an elevated cul de sac in Walton Park, in Pannal, the house overlooked Harrogate to the north and west, and an adjacent greenbelt to the east. Alone on the hill, it stood out in relief against the cloudy but mostly blue afternoon sky. The two-story façade was stonework, and the roofline and gables complimented the angles of the home rather than fighting with them. It was completely lined on one side by manicured and blooming purple hydrangeas.

Caroline was silent as she stepped out of the Jeep. Eleanor watched her sharp eyes assessing, weighing, and deciding whether or not she was already in love.

Phil met them at the over-sized front door and wagged his finger. "Eyes shut. Both of you. You know how I am about the dramatic reveal, and you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

Caroline gave Eleanor a skeptical side eye, but complied. Eleanor's hand was already over her eyes.

"Just a few more steps. Over the threshold you go, and then voila, I give to you the greatest gift on the face of the planet. Your new home." Phil lead Eleanor by the hand, who in turn held Caroline's.

"All set. Now gaze upon the fulfillment of your wildest home buying desires!"

Slowly they each lowered their hands and opened their eyes, and both women inhaled sharply.

"Oh Phil." Eleanor's eyes were wide.

"It's – " Caroline's own blue eyes were huge and her long blond ponytail swung back and forth as she trailed off.

Still staring, Eleanor raised her hand toward Caroline, who took it quickly and looked over with excitement.

"It's perfect. At least, so far."

"Let's hear it for the boy, huh?" Phil pointed at the expanse of the house and then himself. "And by 'the' boy I mean 'this' boy!"

Eleanor clapped her hands together silently and brought them up in front of her mouth as she gazed around more intently. She looked over to Phil and offered a high five, which he returned enthusiastically.

Caroline had already wandered further in to evaluate the expansive and open kitchen, heels of her boots echoing off the oak hardwood.

The center hall entry opened on to two wings of the house – the kitchen and dining to one side, and the stairs, living room and study with a large stone-work fireplace to the other. At the very end of the hall was another doorway, which opened out to a garden that was visible through the windows at the ends of the rooms facing it on either side.

"Phil tell me there aren't a slew of hidden problems that will pop up in inspection. Because I will be very cross with you." Caroline was trying very hard to look as though she were giving the house a professional assessment, but Eleanor could tell by the set of her shoulders that she was totally enthralled.

"You mean the collapsing roof and the crumbling foundation? Like I said, we can always negotiate."

Both women offered equally unamused faces and Phil held up his hands. "There's a master bedroom downstairs, another upstairs of course, and two guest bedrooms that share a bath. And as mentioned by your lovely bride to be, plenty of space in between all of them."

Caroline turned, face serious as the innuendo passed over her in her critical excitement. She had made her way to the other end of the long and well-appointed kitchen and was staring now out at the garden as Phil spoke.

She looked at Eleanor, frowning, upset that she'd already begun to grow attached to a house that might not work at all. "What about Mum and Alan?"

Phil sprinted across the kitchen and took her arm. "Not to worry, my damsel in distress. Your carriage house is tucked away to the side behind the garage. Nothing separating you from mum and dad but a lovely paved and covered walk."

Eleanor exhaled as Caroline did. Her expression open as images of herself and her family in the home began to flicker Caroline's eyes.

Still, she maintained a stern front for Phil. "Off to a good start. But let's see what you're hiding upstairs."

He smiled and wagged his finger. "Oh you can't fool Phil, Caroline. You're just testing me." He shook his head, unruffled. "People have been testing me my entire life. They never find anything." He shook his finger at her and she caved with a smile. "Come on upstairs and we'll 'Phil-in the rest."

* * *

They concluded the tour with the upstairs master bedroom, which faced northeast and looked out forever onto the checkered green hills of Harrogate.

Phil stood with arms crossed and an enormously self-satisfied grin, as did Eleanor. Caroline was staring out the vast picture window at the panorama.

"One caveat. They want a long close. So you won't be basking in the morning sun here until summer."

Caroline turned, forehead wrinkled and looking discouraged. "Phil, could you give us a minute?"

He glanced nervously at Eleanor, but gave a salute. "I'll be in the living room loving on all that gorgeous new lush Berber carpet. Call if you need me." He glanced between the two women again and hastened downstairs.

Caroline had already turned back to the window, arms crossed.

Eleanor stood beside her now, grin on her face already beginning to spread. "You're completely and totally in love."

Caroline turned to her with a vicious grin of her own. "With you, or with the house?"

"Both."

"Yep."

"Fantastic. Say the word and it's ours."

A cloud passed over Caroline's face. "We've gotten most everything together for the offer, but are we really _ready_? I mean, can we - are we _able_ to move on it so _quickly_?"

"I never pass up the right opportunity when I see it. And I'm always ready to move quickly." Eleanor raised her eyebrow, to no effect. Caroline was too invested to be in the mood for jokes.

Eleanor took her by the hips. "Yes. We've got what we need. We can make them an offer they won't possibly be able to refuse." She looked at Caroline with intent brown eyes, mischief momentarily dismissed. "I always get what I want. And now, more importantly, _you_ always get what you want. Because I'll move heaven and earth every day of the week to see that look in your eye you've got right now."

Caroline brushed Eleanor's auburn hair back from her face. She ran her fingers down the pink and white striped silk placket, and then the white buttons, of her navy polo, then back again to the tips of the turned-up collars. She looked up. "How long do you want to live here with me?"

Eleanor responded without hesitation. "Forever."


	26. Chapter 26

"Did you sort your pranksters?"

"I did, but not the way you suggested," Caroline replied. "Seriously, Eleanor. You can't bribe students. At least not with money. It doesn't work that way."

Eleanor shrugged. "Good thing I'm not a public school head teacher."

Caroline chortled and nodded. She draped her towel over the bedpost and began to dress for the wedding. They were in Cayton for the weekend for Eleanor's niece's wedding ceremony and reception. Elizabeth had graduated Oxford this past term and was already planning to take her new bridegroom to America with her. She'd been recruited by NASA and he was happily following her to Texas.

Greg and Jenny had absconded with Flora for the weekend. He and Caroline had had a dust-up recently, good natured but inevitable as the family dynamics evolved. He had chafed, rightly, that she had been spending every weekend with Flora for the past two months. He missed her and wanted time with her and with Jenny to spend as a family. The conversation had begun with Caroline and a sharp tongue, and had ended tersely but with smiles.

"So?" Eleanor stood at the mirror brushing and sorting her hair. May in Cayton was full of late spring and blustery, and she was having trouble deciding what style to go with for the outdoor occasion. _'I wonder if it's time to give up and cut it short again.'_ She winced recalling the last time she'd done so and made a mental note to consult with her mother about how she'd managed the changeover herself. "How'd it all land?"

"I offered a bribe of vanity instead," said Caroline. "With this particular offender, it's the best strategy. There's nothing these types enjoy more than feeling superior. It's really what's underneath it all. I put the word out that the person or persons responsible would be granted clemency if they came forward, confessed, and promised to stop their shenanigans."

Eleanor raised a skeptical eyebrow. "That seems thin motivation."

Caroline held up an index finger. "I also promised to sweeten the pot, but failed to disclose how." She smiled knowingly. "A clever kid with a little bit of an ego loves a good mystery." She walked up to the large mirror over the bureau to put on her jewelry.

Eleanor decided on a casually braided chignon. She stepped over to make room for Caroline, and they talked indirectly, each facing the mirror and focused on her own ministrations. "I should have given you more credit, headmistress."

"You should have. With a little brainstorming, I think we've came up with what we hope is a win-win. We're going to establish a senior prank week, complete with a heavy dose of regulation. If the guilty students this year stick to their agreement through graduation, it will be named in their honor when announced next year."

In fact, the two senior girls responsible had come forward. And they'd even confessed to what they'd planned for graduation. When Caroline had heard she'd practically fainted in relief that she'd foiled the plot in time. For her own sake, the school's, and most of all for the goats who may or may not have survived the ordeal.

"Well then - well done, you. I approve."

Caroline finally looked over to take in Eleanor's mocking but proud smile and rolled her eyes.

"How are you feeling about seeing Emma today?" They turned to each other, and Caroline briskly smoothed Eleanor's pink button down. She plucked at her collar and at her pearls as she faced her, blue eyes as bright and wide as ever and not so casually dissecting every one of her facial features in response to her question.

Eleanor grinned, just a thin upturning of her lips. "Just fine, actually. She's nothing left over me. Not my past, or my future. She's played her hand and lost her advantage." She took the hand that Caroline had rested on her shoulder and kissed the inside of her wrist. "Solid ground here. And then there's mother. If I'm not clear enough about things, Margaret certainly will be. Emma invitation today stands on ceremony alone, and she herself on very thin ice."

Caroline's eyes widened and for the briefest of moments she actually felt sorry for Emma. The emotion passed and she smirked. Although the Slatterys had been included in Elizabeth's wedding guest list for the sake of appearances, their daughter was now very much persona non grata at Cayton. Of course, it had not stopped Emma from a yes to the invitation. But Caroline had the sense this wasn't going to be a joyous occasion for Eleanor's ex.

Eleanor watched Caroline's reaction work its way across her face. "Yes. My thoughts exactly." She returned Caroline's attentions, studying her thick blonde hair and tucking strays back up into the French twist, pulling others out to create the right affect around her face and at her neck. She finished, placed her hands on her shoulders. "You look ravishing."

"Thank you. So do you." Caroline stepped aside and ran her hands down the front of her skirt as she turned toward the mirror, looking down as she smoothed the sky-blue linen. She frowned skeptically at the bone white, suede, low-heeled Ferragamos Eleanor had talked her into, but admitted to herself that by now she'd usually already be uncomfortable in higher heels. She looked back up at her reflection and tugged on the lapels of the matching jacket. She caught Eleanor smiling at her over her shoulder, and smiled back.

Eleanor came forward. "Let's go celebrate love with three hundred of our closest friends." Caroline's eyes danced, uncertain but up for it. She took her hand and they walked together toward the bedroom door.

* * *

They met up with June and Lily as they made their way across the back patio of the manor and down to the lawn. The brunch reception was to be held under a giant tent on the great lawn, but the ceremony was being held in a shady intimate spot on the back acreage. The half kilometer path to the setting was lined on either side by potted gardenias in full bloom. Caroline guessed whatever greenhouse they'd come from must have done well by the deal.

Her impressed expression hid nothing as she gazed down to the end of the marked path and she took a breath at the mass of chairs flanking the gazebo, which was adorned in garland and flowers. The lakeside setting was perfect, the water on the property clear and inviting and the banks neatly manicured.

The lake itself was spring fed and had been installed generations ago by an Eleanor Hyde Strathclyde. Eleanor had filled Caroline in the evening previous. Apparently, the visionary had been quite fond of Welsh Corgis, and had insisted the dogs have a place on the property to swim, or at least chase ducks.

"Your niece put some thought into this," observed Caroline.

"Elizabeth may have started the thought. But gran finished it for her." June replied for her mum and smiled at her own remark, delivered in a sweet tone and with a patient expression. She was the same June who'd left Harrogate for University, but she wasn't the same girl.

Lilly laughed. Her hair was still dyed jet black. She had a lot less of her sister's sunny temperament, but she was glad to be reunited with her after a year spent mostly apart. She took June's hand and they strolled side by side.

"You see now why I refused to let mother have anything to do with our wedding." Eleanor threw Caroline an exasperated look, and Caroline did not have to speak her agreement.

 _'This is absolutely stunning. But whatever Eleanor and I do, it's going to have nothing to do with this.'_ Caroline frowned at the setting, so picturesque it seemed lifted from the set of a movie.

"Well I hear the event planner they found is dynamite," said June. "A total doll. And she's the best with flowers anywhere north of London." Her eyes were wide as she took in the backdrop for the ceremony, and Caroline could see hopes and dreams passing through them.

They had arrived lakeside and the small talk had begun. She turned her attention to Eleanor as she began to work the group near the front of the seating area. Chatting, smiling and laughing. A small touch on a shoulder or an arm, on the wrist for people of whom she was particularly fond. Caroline smiled to herself as she watched her.

She felt a hand at her forearm and turned. A woman her age with a passing resemblance to Eleanor smiled demurely.

"You're Caroline? Eleanor's fiancée?

Caroline nodded and smiled, reminding herself that much of the day would likely go this way. Strangers who were familiar with her taking the time to introduce themselves. She hoped all of them referred to Eleanor as her fiancée.

"I'm Marlee. Eleanor's second cousin on Margaret's side. We ran into each other at the engagement party last year, but that was almost even more a show than this." The woman smiled at the lush surroundings and Caroline had the impression that not all the Strathclydes clung to the tradition of the landed gentry.

"I'm sorry. You look so familiar. But I'm glad to meet you again." Caroline's body language was deferential and she found a quick rapport developing.

"Well it's lovely to see you - and at such a happy occasion. I'm glad you've stuck it out." Marlee directed an intentional look toward Margaret.

"I think we both know Eleanor's worth it."

Marlee glanced over Caroline's shoulder and caught the eye of another guest. She laid her hand on Caroline's forearm again. "Truly - lovely to see you. I hope we'll meet again - perhaps when you two make it official?"

Caroline's stomach tensed at the thought of taking a starring role in any occasion like the current, but she smiled sweetly. "I certainly hope so."

* * *

' _Thank god they picked a shady spot.'_ Caroline was over her buoyancy at the romance of the day, and barely able to restrain herself from using the wedding program as a fan. Program was a stretch, as it was actually more of a booklet. It was almost past ten am now, the sun climbing and threatening to eclipse the trees.

The bride and groom were perfectly lovely – perfectly pleasant. As was the day, as was the setting, as were each and every one of the guests. She took a moment to drift off, admiring some of the more well-adorned and styled hats sported by women who must have worn Caroline's entire net worth on just their necks, hands, and wrists.

Eleanor took her hand and leaned into her, whispering. "Almost there. Promise." She winked as she met Caroline's _'I'm being exceptionally patient'_ expression.

She squeezed her hand back, registering the engagement ring she already wore, and given their surroundings, a question came to mind. She leaned over and whispered quietly. "What have you done with the ring your mother gave you?" Caroline's nose wrinkled, dissatisfied that Emma had soured the heirloom.

"I've given it to Elizabeth, last month. It took forever to size. Mother won't even let the bespoke jewelers in London touch the family pieces. Had to take it to DDJ & S to be modified."

Caroline frowned. "Never heard of them."

"You wouldn't have." Eleanor tossed off meaningful glance, and she nodded solemnly in response.

* * *

After several long but oh-so romantic readings and enough vows that Caroline wondered how anyone could keep track of them all, the ceremony concluded. The four of them exited their row quickly, Eleanor leading the way. "Last ones there, last ones in line for the bar. And there's plenty of time for mingling under the big top."

The younger girls tilted their heads together and then turned back with an air of purpose. Lily looked to Eleanor and spoke for them. "We're stopping at the house. See you there."

Their mother waved them away casually. "Take your time."

* * *

"And this – well - this is Jennifer Strathclyde. My cousin from Melbourne." Eleanor gave the woman an appraising but very fond glance and narrowed her eyes. "My trouble with Manhattans is all down to this one."

"You don't say." Caroline crossed her arms and sipped her mimosa thoughtfully, taking in the Australian woman's outgoing air. There were definite physical differences, but she still reminded Caroline very clearly of George. "I don't know if I should thank you or curse you."

Jennifer crossed her own arms. "You should thank me. If it weren't for that fateful night, your fiancée here would still be swilling gin all winter long."

"That fateful night?" Caroline turned to Eleanor.

"Four Manhattans are always too many. Always." Eleanor shook her head. "That goes double when you're young and thin."

"That depends on the quality of the bartender and the whiskey." Jennifer was staunch in her disagreement, and her expression showed it. "And once the hangover wore off, you were hooked. Admit it."

"I can't deny it." Eleanor leaned her shoulder into Jennifer's and they laughed. Eleanor's laugh tapered off and her smile set hard on her face.

Jennifer followed her gaze and then looked over to Caroline. "That's my cue then. Fantastic to meet you, Caroline. I've heard loads about you, and I think you're just perfect for Eleanor." She tipped her glass and drifted off.

Caroline looked toward the focus of Eleanor's now distasteful expression, took in the set of her shoulders, and wasn't surprised to see Emma as the object of her consideration.

The redhead glided up casually and flashed a cocky smile. She paid no attention to Caroline and focused on Eleanor.

"What a lovely occasion. I remember very fondly one very similar, right here under this tent." Emma's delivery was as smooth as ever – almost. Caroline noticed her drain her champagne glass and set it on the table next to them, not delicately. Emma made pointed eye contact with a circulating cocktail waiter. Caroline had the sense this wasn't going to be her second glass, but perhaps her third – or forth, by the soft focus of her gaze.

Eleanor returned the smile, her own bright enough, though an air of distaste still hung about her. "I actually recall it rained that day. Puts quite a damper on that whole superstition."

Emma laughed, a forced sound that rang hollow.

"I believe I saw you speaking with mother a moment ago. I'm sure you two had quite a bit to catch up on." Eleanor sipped her mimosa daintily.

Emma's eyes darted away. She grabbed a fresh glass from the passing waiter and took another healthy drink. "Margaret and I are such old friends. Disagreements are bound to come up. Especially when sown by confused dissenters."

Caroline let out a shocked "ha," and prepared to tear into Emma, something she'd been looking forward to the moment she'd entered her field of vision. A murderous frown clouded her face. She raised an index finger and opened her mouth to begin her tirade.

She stopped as she felt a hand on her elbow. Her face was still animated she looked over at the interloper. Though her mouth remained open, she fell profoundly silent. June and Lily had gone to the house to change and freshen up, and apparently had just returned, transformed.

Caroline had only seen June casually, once, since she'd come home from Exeter. This morning she'd been fresh as a daisy, bright yellow cotton sun dress. Hair up in a pony tail and looking every bit the girl Caroline had always known - light hearted, nothing but bounding, cheerful temperament, her attitude and affect youthful and innocent. Open to the world and sweet as a spring day.

Now, she looked and held herself exactly as Eleanor must have done some twenty-five years ago. A young woman enriched, tempered by experience beyond her years and honed by Margaret's fierce version of love and family. June and Eleanor had always been similar in look, but in this moment Caroline felt as though she must have stepped right back in time.

June's long brown-auburn hair was down, wavy and hanging almost to her elbows. She wore a touch of make-up, natural and just enough that she appeared a handful years older than she was. The tilt of her head, the angle of her hips, athletic shoulders, and the set of her mouth. All of it was her mother, so perfectly replicated, right down to the soft and knowing brown eyes. She might be Eleanor herself stepping right off the campus at Oxford.

If Caroline was shocked, Emma was completely rocked in her designer heels. She gaped at June, stiff manners ingrained by generations of breeding completely forgotten.

"Hello Emma." June extended her hand and a calm and level gaze. Her voice was lowered in her serious attention to the matter, and again she showed the change in disposition that the time on her own had cultivated. Caroline was frankly glad June wasn't speaking to her using that tone of voice. She'd only ever seen the girls as the bright side of Eleanor, a smart but bubbly kid without a care in the world. Caroline saw the rest of Eleanor in her now, and she smiled to herself and settled in to watch her tackle Emma in a way she doubted Eleanor ever had.

Emma's hand came up reflexively, but she didn't speak immediately, only nodded. Finally, a quiet, "Hello – June."

June favored her with a confused smile. "I see you're speaking to Mum and Caroline. But I can't for the life of me imagine why."

Caroline almost fainted dead, and by Emma's color she wasn't far from it either.

Eleanor appeared just as transfixed by her daughter, but not one bit of her seemed nervous. She sipped her mimosa and paid rapt attention as the moment played out.

Emma grasped at habit and training. "You're looking well. How's Exeter?"

"Splendid. Sunny. And you haven't answered me. Why are you talking to anyone in our family?" June's expression and tone remained calm and level, almost disinterested.

But Caroline had recovered enough of herself to see something besides disinterest in June's eyes. If she hadn't known her mother so well, she would have missed it. It was haughty steel. The entitlement that underpinned so much of Eleanor's, and apparently now June's, seemingly casual self-assurance. And if Caroline were being honest - it was Margaret she saw in June right now and had seen so often in Eleanor.

Emma cleared her throat and took a sip of champagne. "Well I surely don't need a particular reason to speak with your mother at Elizabeth's wedding. I can't imagine a better way to enjoy the reception." Emma caught her footing and finished with a mild tone and a smirk.

"When I think about pleasant ways to spend this morning none of them include you." June looked Emma over. "You've had your turn with Mum. With our family. You made a proper mess of it. And unfortunately for you, you're not invited back to fumble at it again - in your rather transparent and desperate manner. If you'll excuse us, and I mean that on a rather permanent basis, we'd like to continue without you." June looked away briefly, again apparently disinterested, as Emma stood mute. She seemed to casually register Emma's continuing presence and continued. "I never understood why Mum gave you the time of day - and I certainly don't have it for you."

Emma stood rooted, staring at June, who now looked mildly impatient. She laid a hand gently on Emma's shoulder and turned her away from their group. She leaned down in order to speak more softly in the ear of her would-be long lost mother. "Off you go now. Mingle mingle."

Across the crowd June caught Margaret's eye - an arch of her brow and a hint of a smile.

Emma frowned and half-turned back to the group. This time Eleanor grimaced at her and waved a hand in a small shoo-ing manner. Caroline sipped her own mimosa, smiled very sweetly, and shrugged. Emma scowled, turned on her heel, and stalked away.

"That's better all around." June smiled brightly, and Eleanor returned it, eyebrow raised and lips twitching.


	27. Chapter 27

Eleanor and Caroline paid less and less attention to the music as the wedding wore on and the demographic on the dance floor grew ever younger. The women were each engrossed in separate conversations, when a song now very familiar to Caroline emerged from the cross fade. As the opening bars played, she made eye contact with Eleanor immediately, and they each abruptly ended their conversations.

"Care for another drink, darling?" Caroline smiled innocently at Eleanor, who did her best to return it innocently, hardly achieving it.

"No." Eleanor raised an eyebrow and Caroline nodded, both of them already headed to the edge of the tent, silent and walking right next to each other. Caroline felt Eleanor's hand find hers and they intertwined their fingers as they made their way quickly across the great lawn.

"It's going to take forever to get to our room."

"I don't mind." Caroline looked over and smirked at Eleanor's frustration.

Eleanor shot her a dirty look. "Well you did mind waiting that night after we left the club. That's the farthest I've ever made it with a woman in a taxi cab. Took a good amount of courage on your part to wrangle your hands where you did, considering I was still fully dressed. And it would have been worse, if you hadn't constantly been distracted and giggling."

"Our driver's name was Ed Balls. You have to admit that's distracting. And worth a giggle."

"Only if you're particular to Twitter. Or you're a fifteen-year-old boy. Or drunk."

"One for three. And I still thought it was funny." Caroline wouldn't accept Eleanor's condescension, and to distract her gave her a meaningful grin. "And mine weren't the only hands wedged in delicate locations."

Eleanor refused to take the bait and shook her head. "Our sober driver wasn't laughing, and I had to double the tip I felt so guilty."

"I didn't register any complaints from you that night."

"And you never will." Eleanor's brown eyes flashed.

Caroline opened the door to their room and rushed through, carelessly tossing her heels off on her way toward the bed. Her head buzzed pleasantly from the champagne and the romance of the morning. She gave a passing thought about the fact that this was the first wedding in many years that hadn't made her a little bit sad. She'd simply enjoyed it, simply let the good of it all shine through for her. Simply let Eleanor shine through.

Eleanor scrolled through her phone and clumsily docked it, as Caroline worked at the buttons on her shirt and the music began to play.

 _"Remember those walls I built, well, baby, they're tumbling down..."_

"I think we managed to say all our goodbyes?"

"I think I don't care." Hands now on Eleanor's bare waist after loosing her long hair, Caroline kissed down her neck and nipped at her shoulder.

Eleanor laughed playfully, and they lost track of the rest of the afternoon.

 _"Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace..."_

* * *

From a sleepy distance Caroline heard Eleanor turn the ipod back on. The afternoon sun was pouring through the mullioned floor-to-ceiling windows and flooding their room with an orange-gold hue. There was much that was intimidating in Cayton, but the palatial fenestrations and the omnipresence of inspiring warm light were the opposite. They made her feel peaceful.

As the music played her mind churned up an image of her younger self, driving home from Oxford one spring and blaring over the car radio the song she heard now.

 _"As free as the wind, hopefully learning. Why the sea on the tide has no way of turning? More than this, you know there is nothing..."_

She smiled at the memory and grumbled gently as Eleanor nudged her over her shoulder, brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her neck softly.

Caroline's voice was still hoarse with sleep. "That was lovely. More please."

Eleanor kissed her cheek again, but briskly. "It's almost tea time. Mum's gotten some of the Earl Grey that's my very favorite, from a tiny tea shop in London. It's made with a small estate Ceylon. We're expected." Eleanor's lips smiled against Caroline's neck. "And we can't disappear all day."

"Why not?" Caroline mumbled petulantly.

"Because I have other plans for you."

"Am I happy about these plans?"

"Positively ecstatic."

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut tight and firmed her grasp on Eleanor's arms wrapped around her before opening her eyes and rolling to face her. "I like the sound of that."

"Yes you do." Eleanor suddenly became quiet and still. She gave Caroline an adoring look, and studiously scanned her face. "I think I'm going to love being married to you."

"Everything alright?" Caroline reached up and ran a hand down an errant wave of Eleanor's hair and tucked it behind her ear.

Eleanor's eyes came back into focus on Caroline's and her look brightened. "Yes. I think it was all the champagne and romance at the wedding. It put me in a mood."

Caroline scowled again but dismissed the moment and smiled to try and brighten Eleanor. "What do you have planned, then?"

"It's none of your business." Eleanor emerged again and Caroline laughed.

"Alright." They rolled out of bed and headed to the en suite to shower and restart their day.

* * *

The sun was near to setting and it was cooling down pleasantly. The light was fading, the gloaming coming up. The salty sea air from the channel rolled over them, hand in hand strolling down the boardwalk at Cayton.

"You're right. I'm ecstatic about these plans." Caroline raised Eleanor's hand to give it a quick kiss and smiled over.

"What makes you think these are my plans?"

Caroline didn't really respond, only grinned. Being predictable dissatisfied Eleanor completely, but her efforts at originality were always enjoyable.

Eleanor paused at the wooden rail to look out at the sea. They stood side by side watching the waning sun dance and sparkle across the vista and out to the eastern horizon. She reached into her pocket and turned to Caroline. She opened her hand toward her, palm up, and cradling two platinum wedding bands. One slender, one thicker.

"Will you marry me, Caroline?" Eleanor had been looking shyly down at the rings, but now she looked up into Caroline's surprised and happily confused eyes. She waited quietly for a response Caroline had trouble offering.

"Of course." She frowned, and laughed, confused.

"I should have been more specific. But I'm a little nervous." Bashful, Eleanor looked away and toward a pier further down the boardwalk, practically empty and adorned with lights. She glanced at it pointedly and looked back. "I meant will you marry me right now. I'm done waiting."

Caroline stared at her silently, and felt tears begin to form in her eyes. "Yes."

Eleanor began to cry now as well, but sniffed and swiped at her eyes before the emotion could gain momentum. "Okay."

They stood in stunned silence for a moment.

"What about the paperwork - what about the pre-nup?" Caroline's practicality shone through.

"I've taken care of getting the marriage licensing together, it's ready for us." Eleanor squeezed her hands. "And the money will wait. Our future's unwritten. But we're in charge of it. And I have a lot of confidence in us."

Caroline nodded, perpetually surprised by Eleanor and the surety she brought to life. It wasn't in her nature to trust others above herself, but with Eleanor it seemed so easy.

Eleanor smiled and nodded back. "Alright. It's now, then. Let's go." She took Caroline's hand and they set off.

They stopped at the start of the pier Eleanor had eyed, which had been closed off. Eleanor exchanged a couple words with the man who had been waving curious onlookers by, and they walked down to the handful of people at the end.

Celia and Alan greeted them first, both of them offering tight hugs. Celia actually had a hint of tears in her eyes, red around the soft edges. She reached up and took Caroline's face in her hands and kissed her cheek. Her tone was rough, but she overwhelmed Caroline still, "I'm so happy for you, love."

Greg and Jenny waved, and Jenny set Flora down, who came running first to Caroline, then practically jumped onto Eleanor.

They spent the next few minutes talking and hugging with the assembly. Gillian and Robbie had brought William and Lawrence, and it seemed that Jane and Zoe had patched up enough to come together, Lily and June along with them. George kept wandering around sort of aimlessly, beaming with pride, and Margaret's smile actually touched her eyes when she congratulated Caroline. Jonathan and Bella rounded out Eleanor's side of things, and everyone seemed in one way or the other more than ready for the second wedding of the day.

It didn't take long before the few empty rows of chairs began to dominate the back of everyone's minds. Eleanor whisked Caroline away by the hand for a quiet conversation on the rail at the very end of the pier. Caroline began to really realize why they were all there and began to feel the first flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She became grateful that tea earlier in the afternoon had been rather light.

"Is this alright? Are you sure, Caroline?"

Caroline shook her head happily, eyes watching and evaluating Eleanor and wondering at how she'd managed to pull this off, to make this happen for her and for them. "Are you kidding me? It's exactly right. You knew exactly what to do and you did it. I couldn't be more sure about anything, Eleanor."

Eleanor smiled confidently. "Aren't you curious about the details?"

"Absolutely. But I trust you." Caroline laughed as Eleanor feigned shock.

"Okay then, Caroline Dawson Elliott McKenzie. Are you ready to become Caroline Strathclyde?"

"I haven't agreed to take your name." She shoved at Eleanor's stomach playfully.

"Well once we're married I can call you what I want. And you can't stop me."

"I never want you to stop - being you - Eleanor. Ever." Caroline placed a palm on her chest. "But I do have one question. Who's agreed to do the ceremony?"

"Remember I said there were four of us at Oxford who were all great friends? Well you've met Emma and Catherine. But you haven't met Ellen. And this time, I think you're going to approve, even if she is American."

"An American? Oh - Eleanor - no."

Eleanor put on a look of omniscience and extreme confidence. "She's one of the good ones. And nothing like Emma or Catherine. She's the sweetest of all of us. And the only one with the good sense to steer clear of Emma." Eleanor pouted just a bit, softening Caroline's skepticism. "She was ordained on the internet just to do this. Flew over with only a week's notice. I couldn't think of anyone else. Jane asked – "

Caroline's eyes widened.

"Exactly. Ellen's perfect for this. I promise." Eleanor's eyes became warm and distant. "She's such a hopeless romantic. I remember she used to have this rusty typewriter she adored. Kept it in the flat like a shrine. Said if a typewriter was good enough for Steinbeck, it was good enough for her. She even tuned it up and she's written our vows on it. And I think that's impossibly romantic." Eleanor looked so earnest that Caroline couldn't help but smile.

Eleanor kissed her quickly. "Oh. And don't mind the jeans and cowboy boots, okay?" She gave a preemptive shocked face of her own and turned to go as Caroline's became animated.

The family had managed to seat themselves while Eleanor and Caroline chatted. When they returned, Caroline noticed that Eleanor's long lost friend had arrived, standing off to the side and head buried in a notebook.

Eleanor rushed forward and almost knocked her off her feet with the force of her hug.

"Hey what's up." Ellen smiled crookedly and hugged her back.

Eleanor held her by the shoulders for a moment and looked her over. "You look fantastic. Just the same. I've missed you." She ran her fingers through a blond swatch of bangs in the woman's short, dark hair. "You kept it."

"Of course. It's my signature. And I've missed you too. Very much." Ellen now looked Eleanor over, much as a mum would her only child returning from a month away at summer camp. She peeked around her shoulder where Caroline stood trying to look intentional.

"Couldn't miss you if I tried. You're Caroline. I've been waiting a very long time to finally meet you. And - to thank you for taking care of Eleanor. She needs a woman like you. It's almost like you two were made for each other." She held out her hand. "I'm Ellen Browning."

The two exchanged a firm handshake. Judging from the light in Ellen's green eyes, she was quite pleased to be the subject of Caroline's intense and assessing gaze.

"Very nice to meet you, Ellen." Caroline seemed satisfied and turned to Eleanor. "If you're an old friend of Eleanor's, you're an old friend of mine." Her blue eyes warmed.

"Glad to hear it. Now let's do this thing." Ellen smirked. Caroline frowned, and Eleanor smiled indulgently. Hand in hand, they began the ceremony.

* * *

Warm yellow bistro lights were strung across the improvised dance floor, casting a dim glow over everything underneath them and softening the glare from the rest of the boardwalk. The wedding itself had been short and meaningful. Ellen's ceremony had in fact been elegant, absent the starry-eyed romance of a first wedding and longer on the rich and rewarding nature of love that had matured. The vows had been crafted of promises to be made with full knowledge of what the world gives to and takes from a couple who agree to make an enduring commitment.

The wedding party adjourned down the boardwalk and into the jovial crowd to enjoy the Saturday evening concert held by the town. A charming cover band touring regionally, 'Little Welshie' was playing. They had been more than happy to tackle Eleanor's request, and she wrangled Caroline away from Jane and Gillian.

Eleanor took her by the hand with just a pointed look, and without a word and lead her toward the front of the stage to join the other couples. They swayed together in practiced, easy movements.

" _Some were playing in a round. Some were dipping so low. It never seemed to matter, as the night slipped away, there was soul in the air."_

They couldn't hear much above the music, but the sound of the sea was ever present underneath them as they danced; to anything else they were oblivious.

 _"We were howling at the moon. We were shaking our hips. Danced until we flat out falling into bed, and I won't let you go."_

Eyes closed, Caroline smiled as Eleanor sang along, low and quiet, in Caroline's ear. Every once in a while her breath would hitch, and she would pause.

 _"Step it in or step it out. Cut it all in and run. Kept on 'till it mattered, baby I don't even see. But I know we were there."_

The music wasn't completely dissimilar to their first dance. Eleanor had a thing for soul. But even though everything else about the moment was different, Caroline couldn't help but think of that spring night. The feeling of being held by Eleanor. It had been new then, and thrilling. But somehow it had also felt just as secure. Compelling, and calming.

Eleanor sighed against her, silent now as the song wound down, and it felt like the first time all over again. But she didn't have to say anything this time for Caroline to know her blissful despair, because she felt it as well.

As the soft lights and the sea air and the music and the moment collided, Caroline had a hard time understanding where Eleanor's body stopped and hers started. A hard time knowing where Eleanor's love stopped and hers started. She wondered if it were even possible to characterize their love that way anymore, as two individual experiences.

The song was finished, but they weren't. They held tight to each other, smiling and laughing, and slowly dancing on.


	28. Epilogue

The two women stood shoulder to shoulder on the bluffs at Cayton, looking down the beach to the boardwalk where Caroline and Eleanor had been married decades ago.

"We had thirty-five years together. I would have taken thirty-five more, but we don't always get what we want."

Flora didn't look over at her mother, but smiled gently and sniffed. She held tight to her daughter Kate's hand, the six year-old next to her quiet and still, but only because she knew it was expected. "They were wonderful years weren't they?" She smiled remembering the happiness her mums had shared in Harrogate, then in Calais, and finally in Cayton. "You two really figured it out. How to live. How to balance it all and give back as much as you took. From the world. And from each other."

"There was that rough period in the 20's. When we separated for that awful month. It was the worst of my life."

"I think you were only women in the world who were going to get the very best out of each other, at the end of the day. You were bound to have your moments." Flora's eyes crinkled. "And you were always more when you were together than when you were apart." She raised a hand and shaded her eyes against the golden late-afternoon sun reflecting brightly off of the sea. "I never doubted you, not for a minute. Not even then."

"You didn't. And you finally talked us into forgiving each other. I'm not sure, but I think you might have saved our marriage."

"Nah. You would have figured it out. Both of you just needed a reminder, that's all there was to it." She turned to her mum and tucked a strand of short, white hair behind her ear as the wind pulled it loose. "Are you tired? Should we all be getting back?"

"Oh no. Not yet. I want more time."

Flora nodded and looked down at the churning, foaming, water, a hundred feet below.

Finally letting go of Flora's hand, Eleanor stuffed both of hers in the pockets of Caroline's favorite and well-worn navy cardigan. She turned away from her daughter and took a couple steps down the path lining the cliff.

Flora looked down again at Kate. "Why don't we go pick some long grasses and we can weave them together and make something pretty for your gran?"

Little Kate peered around Flora's leg, concern on her face for her gran, who she knew was very sad. She looked up solemnly. "Yep. I want to give her something to make her feel better."

"Okay."

Quietly they set off in the other direction from Eleanor, now a lone silhouette against the perfectly clear and deep blue sky.

She stood with her arms crossed, staring absently at the distant boardwalk and pulling Caroline's cardigan tighter across her thin frame.

It had been a million tides, a million waves since that May night when they'd married, but much of it was still clear in her mind. She wondered if another million waves would pass before the tide of time would tumble away the rough edges of her pain and loss. Leave her instead with memories of their life together that were burnished and contoured in the smooth shape of love remembered. Some already were. She smiled as one, more recent, filtered up.

She'd sung one last time for her wife. Just a few weeks ago on their thirty-fifth anniversary. She's played an old favorite on the Steinway that Caroline had given her for their first anniversary. It had been very close to the end for Caroline, and they'd both known it.

The wind teased at her fine, thin, hair and the gulls cried as the tune wandered through her head. She hummed along, though she could not hear herself above the roar of the surf crashing on the shore below.

 _"I close my eyes I think of you, I take a step I think of you, I catch my breath I think of you, I cannot rest I think of you... and w_ _hen you feel like giving in, and the coming of the end, l_ _ike your heart could break in two, someone loves you..."_

* * *

 ** _Fin_ -**ish.


End file.
